Why such few women make it in the corporate world

Keeping up with the trend every year, girls have done much better than boys in board exams this year, with a pass percentage of 94.54%. But, the total percentage of women making it into the mainstream corporate world continues to be low. Only 23% of executives around the world are women. The issue of gender imbalance in the corporate world continues to rise. Women often hit the invisible ceiling when they try to achieve managerial positions. 
 
There is still an inherent bias towards hiring men, citing reasons for a greater level of commitment, which has kept female participation low. However, the corporate ecosystem is slowly evolving and assisting women to excel in their professional lives. Women face a lot of barriers that often push them to the sidelines. Let's understand some of the main reasons why most women are not able to make it to the corporate world;
 
5 reasons why there is a lack of women in the corporate world 
 
1) Gender imbalance

Even though things are different today, more women are choosing to major in engineering and web development. However, women still go through constant pressure to perform well. It looks as if the professional route is already mapped out for men, and women can only be bystanders, not competitors. The adherence to outmoded practices is one of the primary contributors to gender inequality in the corporate world.  
 
2) Self-authenticity

The political climate of corporations is so oppressive, and the competitive landscape is so hostile that women have to pretend to be someone they are not at work. And, employment seems like "theatre." As a result, thousands of women quit their jobs as they fail to get validation from their peers.

3) Work-life Imbalance

Another main reason for women not being able to make it into the corporate world is a lack of choice. Women don't get a choice to choose their life priorities. Working women often find it hard to strike a balance between family and work life. The continuous shift of priorities makes it impossible for them to achieve higher goals. The have-it-all option is sadly not available for women even in the contemporary world.

4) Demanding Work Environment

Many of today's corporate cultures encourage work on a 24-hour-a-day basis. It creates a dilemma for many women who want to prioritise their lives outside of work. Women tend to consider their employment as only one part of their whole life experience. Most women will not pay that price if they are required to give their full attention to work twenty-four hours a day as they have a family to manage. If we’ve learned anything from #MeToo, it’s how absurdly common workplace harassment and assault is, inside and out of the entertainment industry. The vast majority of women never file a formal complaint for a fear of retaliation.

5) Marginalisation

Women are continuously pushed to the sidelines in the corporate world. They are continued to be considered not eligible for a leadership role. They are marginalised in top managerial and executive positions. The corporate world still favours men as the senior manager or chief executive officers. Due to this, women who are even more qualified than their male counterparts are not provided with the opportunity to be in executive roles. They are disregarded and viewed as inferior beings. The marginalisation of women is one of the main reasons for male dominance in the corporation.  

How can women overcome these challenges?

Professional women, though, are trying very hard to make it to the top in the corporate world, but there are always some odds stacked against them. Corporations today, though, are trying to bring them forward into the mainstream with various leadership programs. Corporations around the world must offer women in the offices with the following programs;

Female Leadership Program

Women will strive in a network of other powerful and supporting women. With a leadership program, very few top-tier women leaders can discuss challenges and what traits one needs to have to overcome gender barriers. By discussing how to leverage certain leadership traits, women in office can capitalise their potential. This will only increase overall productivity and improve the corporation's reputation.

Promoting Equity

The corporation's human resources should customise company policies to promote gender equity in the workplace. For example, family leaves should be equally available to new mothers and new fathers. This will offer an even playing field for women, and women will not be the only ones at the expense of taking care of the children.

The Bottom Line

Women continue to be stagnated in the corporate world. They face gender barriers and often find it difficult to overcome them. Only 20% of the board members are women. Women often have to quit their job as being working mothers and C-suite employees at the same time become difficult to manage. So to speak, women leave their job at three times the rate of their male counterparts. Corporations should try to bring reforms in the workplace by shedding gender roles and providing equal opportunities to both men and women.

So now what? It’s hard to say. There are no easy answers.

But there’s hope that, as more and more women enter into the entrepreneurial space, building companies where women’s needs are understood and respected, we will see fewer factors forcing women out. More than 20% of MSMEs are owned by women entrepreneurs in India. These MSMEs also accommodate over 23% of India’s labour force.

The author is a bestselling novelist.

(Disclaimer: The views expressed above are the author's own and do not reflect those of DNA.)

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