Women Workforce in the Corporate Sector: A Study

Project Report

Submitted by
Megha M (SB20CE018)
Under the guidance of
Ms.Annie Anthony

In partial fulfilment of requirements for award of the degree

Of Bachelor of Arts
St. Teresa’s College (Autonomous), Ernakulam

College With Potential for

Excellence Accredited by NAAC with ‘A++’
Grade
Affiliated to
Mahatma Gandhi University
Kottayam-686560
April 2023
 Women Workforce in the Corporate Sector: A Study

Project Report

Submitted by
Megha M (SB20CE018)
Under the guidance of
Ms. Annie Anthony

In partial fulfilment of requirements for award of the degree

Of Bachelor of Arts
St. Teresa’s College (Autonomous), Ernakulam

College With Potential for

Excellence Accredited by NAAC with ‘A++’
Grade
Affiliated to
Mahatma Gandhi University
Kottayam-686560
April 2023
 Declaration

I do affirm that the project “Women Workforce in the Corporate Sector” submitted in partial fulfilment of the

requirement for the award of the Bachelor of Arts degree in English Literature and Communication Studies has

not previously formed the basis for the award of any degree, diploma, fellowship or any other similar title or

recognition.

Ernakulam Megha M

19 April 2023 SB20CE018

B.A. English Literature and Communication Studies

St. Teresa’s College (Autonomous)

 Certificate

I hereby certify that this project entitled “Women Workforce in the Corporate Sector: A Study” by Megha M is

a record of bonafide work carried out by her under my supervision and guidance.

Ernakulam Ms. Annie Anthony

19 April 2023 Department of Communicative English

St. Teresa’s College (Autonomous)

 Acknowledgement

I take this opportunity to offer my humble prayers and thanks to God Almighty for His mercy and blessings for

the completion of this project.

I am deeply grateful to Rev. Dr. Sr. Vinitha, CSST, Provincial Superior and Manager, St. Teresa’s College

(Autonomous), Ernakulam, for her kind cooperation and I am highly indebted to Rev. Sr. Emeline, CSST,

Director, St. Teresa’s College (Autonomous), Ernakulam and Dr. Alphonsa Vijaya Joseph, Principal, St.

Teresa’s College (Autonomous), Ernakulam for their unconditional support and encouragement during my

course of study in this institution.

I am extremely grateful to Dr Ramalakshmi C, Head of the Department of Communicative English, St. Teresa’s

College (Autonomous) for the valuable suggestions and guidance provided by her in fulfilling this project. I am

profoundly indebted to my guide for her constant support and help for the successful completion of this project.

I am extremely thankful to my supervising guide, Ms.Annie Anthony, Department of Communicative English

for her guidance and for all the teachers of the department for their valuable help rendered for the successful

completion of this project.

Last but not the least, I wish to express my gratitude to my friends and family for their love and support.

Megha M
 Abstract

The contribution of women as well as men in the corporate sector is essential for the success and

prosperity of the society. Within the corporate sector, women employees are competing to find an equal space

with their male co-workers. In spite of many odds, women have been trying to receive equal representation and

opportunities in the work place. Organizations need to analyse their short comings and provide effective

solutions to it. The research looks into the working conditions of women in the corporate sectors giving insights

on the inequality existing in the corporate world. A quantitative study was conducted on women working in the

corporate sector to analyse the working conditions.

Key Words: women in corporate sector, inequality, working conditions, quantitative study
 Content

Introduction 1-3

Bibliography 4

Corporate world and their treatment of women employees 5 - 16

Analysis on the working conditions of women in the corporate sector 17 - 22

Conclusion 23 - 24

Bibliography 25

Appendix 26 - 28

Selected bibliography 29
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Chapter I
Introduction

Women have always helped the society to achieve development and progress in both

domestic and social life. In the occupational and professional domains too, women show an

ever increasing participation in all the fields. From the lowest to highest of positions, women

have marked their places in the respective fields. Today the corporate sector is one of the

most thriving and successful sectors. “Women constitute 48% of the total population but

only 19% of women account for the total labour force” (Lim et al). According to the Fortune

500 list published in 2020 only twenty-nine Indian companies had women at senior

management and executive levels. The number has grown by a measly 6% in the past decade.

These statistics prove to us that though women are educated and trying to develop the career

ladder, the process is slow. “Women are as ambitious as men, but at many companies they

face headwinds that signal it will be harder for them to advance. It is important for women to

work in companies that prioritize flexibility, employee well- being, equity and inclusion

(Dixon-Fyle et al.) This research is an attempt to analyse and understand more about the

conditions of working women in the corporate sector.

“Women are demanding more from work, and they’re leaving their companies in

unprecedented numbers to get it. If companies don’t take action, they won’t just lose their

women leaders; they risk losing the next generation of women leaders, too. Young women

are even more ambitious, and they place a higher premium on working in an equitable,

supportive, and inclusive workplace.” (Dixon-Fyle et al.) By studying women in the

corporate sector, an attempt is made to bring an understanding on how different it is for a

woman in the corporate sector compared to her colleagues. Studies show that women are

switching jobs at the highest rates ever seen. To make meaningful and sustainable progress
 M2

toward gender equality, companies need to go beyond table stakes. When we look into the

lives of women achievers who overcame extreme situations and hurdles of life against all

obstacles, we are forced to mull over reasons why we brood over being women instead of

taking the right call as a confident woman. “Gender inequality in the workplace takes many

forms — unequal pay, disparity in promotions, incidents of sexual harassment, and racism.

Often, it presents itself in more nuanced ways, like fewer opportunities for women who are

mothers and a higher incidence of burnout in women” (wooll). According to studies

conducted, women’s representation at the board level was less at just two percent. This shows

the lack of representation of women in the corporate sector.

Studies have shown that there is a marked decrease in the proportion of women in the

corporate workplace. Despite the increasing push to improve female participation in the work

force and address the lack of women at the top, half of all organizations have no program to

support or mentor women nor do they plan one in the near future. The alarming attitudes of

corporate organizations towards their women employees are evident from the statement

above. Without the needed support from their respective organizations, women employees

will lack the motivation to work for the corporate sector. “In the Wall Street Journal/Gallup

survey, women employees were asked what they consider to be the most serious obstacle in

their careers. Only 3% cited "family responsibilities," but half named reasons related to their

gender, including: "male chauvinism, attitudes toward a female boss, slow advancement for

women, and the simple fact of being a woman." In the survey by Korn/Ferry International,

executive women were asked to name the greatest obstacle they had to overcome to achieve

success; the most frequent response was simply "being a woman" (40%)” (jha). According to

a recent World Economic Forum report, India has dropped 28 places and ranks 140th among
 M3

the 156 companies in terms of female participation in the workforce. This shows that

organizations are hesitant to consider women employees and the major reason for this can be

gender bias.

The research paper studies the differences experienced by women in the corporate

sector because of gender. A survey was conducted on women in the corporate sector to

analyse the research. The survey consisted of 16 questions which looked upon various aspects

like gender gap in the workplace and how it is affecting women employees, the role of gender

in pay scale, promotions and their responses were recorded.

 M4
Bibliography

“Country Fact Sheet: UN Women Data Hub.” Country Fact Sheet | UN Women Data Hub,
https://data.unwomen.org/country/lesotho

Dixon-Fyle, Sundiatu, et al. “Diversity Wins: How Inclusion Matters.” McKinsey &
Company, McKinsey & Company, 19 May 2020, https://www.mckinsey.com/featured-
insights/diversity-and-inclusion/diversity-wins-how-inclusion-matters

jha, mamta. Occupational Stress at Workplace: Study of the ... - IOSR Journals.
https://iosrjournals.org/iosr-jbm/papers/Vol17-issue1/Version-3/B017131321.pdf

wooll, Maggie. “Gender Inequality in the Workplace: The Fight against Bias.” Gender
Inequality in the Workplace: The Fight Against Bias, https://www.betterup.com/blog/gender-
inequality-in-the-work-place
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Chapter II
Corporate world and their treatment of women employees: A Survey

A survey was conducted with fifteen questions to collect responses from different

women working in the corporate sector. Data from hundred and three women working in

organizations of different backgrounds like banks and corporate companies were collected

through the survey. Some of the organizations included are ‘Litmus7’, ‘UDI FINSO

PRIVATE LIMITED’, ‘IDFC First Bank’, ‘SRSV & Associates’, ‘Dentsu Creative’,

‘Deloitte USI’, ‘Orion Innovation’, ‘TCS’. One hundred and three women participated in the

survey. The responses for each questions are as follows

Workplace satisfaction

Figure 2.1 Workplace satisfaction

From the data it can be inferred that only a total 33.3% of women are completely

satisfied within their workplace. 23.5% of women have a neutral opinion. A total 43.1% of

women are unsatisfied with their workplace. The primary conclusion inferred from the data

collected is that most women are unsatisfied with their workplace. This dissatisfaction is due

to multiple reasons. The next few questions help to understand the reasons for the difference

in the satisfactory level.

 M6

Most common difficulty faced

Figure 2.2 Most common difficulty faced

For women working in the corporate sector, lack of acknowledgement for their

achievements, issues and hard works is the most faced obstacle. 37.3% of women agreed to

this. The next prevailing discrepancy is biased pay scale. For men and women working in the

same job, just because of their gender women are paid less. 31.4% women find biased pay

scale as a major setback in their professional sector. For the rest, lack of opportunities was the

most common difficulty faced in their workplace. 30.4% of women face the same. From

these inferences it is evident, there is only a slight difference in the percentages of each

problem faced by women working in the corporate sector. So it can be concluded that all

these problems exist in one or the other companies and are faced by almost every woman

working in the corporate sector.

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Organization’s responses to the issues

Figure 2.3 Organization’s responses to the issues

To the question of how effectively the organizations are trying to rectify these

problems, 57.4% of women responded positively while 42.6% responded otherwise. Only a

slight difference can be seen in the responses which proves that the corporate sector fails to

cater to their women employees. From this we can infer the corporate sector does not have

any effective solutions to the problems of women working in the corporate sector.

Women employee’s solutions to the issues

Figure 2.4 Women employee’s solutions to the issues

For the lack of acknowledgment of above mentioned problems, women have

suggestions on how to bring a change in the system. 40.2% of women feel that having more

women in senior positions will make a difference. 29.4% of women find a unified pay scale
 M8

effective while 27.5% of women are of the opinion that giving equal opportunities to men and

women will be effective. Another suggestion given was to pay equal attention to the

performance of both men and women in the office.

How challenging is the workplace

Figure 2.5 How challenging is the workplace

For almost 27% of women, the workplace is challenging but for the majority it is not.

Though women are enthusiastic to work, the corporate sector is not challenging enough for

them. For 36.6% of women, their workplace is just like any regular activity they do. For 36%

it is the least challenging. This shows how the corporate sector hesitates to assign challenging

work to women just because of the difference in gender. This lack of confidence in women is

still prevailing in organizations that are the most modern in the corporate world.
 M9

Work - life balance

Figure 2.6 Work - life balance

33.6% of women find balancing their work and life effortless. 37.6% of women have a

neutral opinion. 15.8% of women find it difficult to maintain the balance and 12.9% of women

find it very difficult to keep their work-life balance. A vast majority find it difficult to maintain

the work-life balance. This shows how the corporate sector is stressing the women employees.

Gender equality in workplace

Figure 2.7 Gender equality in workplace

On the question of gender equality in the corporate sector, 33.7% of women

responded yes and no. This shows that a significant chance in gender equality is not seen in
 M 10

the corporate sector. If some the corporates try to be gender inclusive, almost the same does

not encourage gender equality. 32.7% of women responded with a maybe indicating that

significant visible changes are not done for gender equality in corporations. Gender

inequality is one of the most common problems faced by women in the corporate sector and it

is strongly prevalent.

Opportunities received compared to male co workers

Figure 2.8 Opportunities received compared to male co workers

On receiving opportunities 46.4% of women responded that they are not given equal

opportunities as their male colleagues. This shows how corporate sectors trust men more than

women just because of their gender. Only 32.7% of women find opportunities equal to their

male coworkers. 20.8% of women are not sure if they are getting equal opportunities. This

shows the lack of acknowledgement for women employees in the corporate sector
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Equality in pay scale

Figure 2.9 Equality in pay scale

Biased pay scale was one of the most common difficulties faced by corporate women

employees. 57.8% of women are being paid equal for the same job as their male coworker.

This shows many corporates have changed their systems and are paying women equally.

Authority received from superiors and coworkers

Figure 2.10 Authority received from superiors and coworkers

As a woman working in the corporate sector, the authority they receive from their

colleagues is not what they deserve. 52% of women are not receiving the authority they deserve
 M 12

from their workplace. 48% are on the positive side of this, which is favorable. But the stark

difference between the percentages show that women are not seen as an authoritative figure

even if their positions are demanding. A gender bias is found in the authority in the corporate

workplaces for women.

Influence of gender in deciding on promotion

Figure 2.11 Influence of gender in deciding on promotion

In the corporate sector while determining promotions gender does not play a significant

role, said 37.3% of women. But for 35.3%, gender plays a role in determining promotions in

their workplace and a 27.5% of women responded maybe, which shows there are no significant

markers to show equality. The difference between yes and no are thin from which it is evident

that gender is a basis for promotion in many corporate offices. The difference might not be

visible in plain sight. The inequality towards women for giving the promotions they deserve

because of their gender is persisting and the data confirms this.

 M 13

Gender’s role in assigning key projects and promotions

Figure 2.12 Gender’s role in assigning key projects and promotions

For women working in the corporate sector their gender has a role in women missing

out on a raise, promotion, key project or a chance to get ahead. 44.1% of women working in

the corporate sector have responded yes. For 33.3% of women their gender is not a basis for

getting a raise, key projects, promotions. 22.5% of women are not sure if gender is playing a

role in their career development. This explains the gender biased decisions of the corporate

sectors in giving women challenging opportunities and a chance to develop their career.
 M 14

Gender’s role in developing career

Figure 2.13 Gender’s role in developing career

For the question will gender make it harder or easier for women to advance in career,

37.3% of women responded that their gender will make it harder for them and 35.3% of women

responded it will make advancing in their career easier whereas for 27.5% of women their

gender does not make any difference in their career. The data shows that for women working

in the corporate sector, their gender is a basis for advancement in career. Being a woman makes

it harder to reach career goals than men.

 M 15

Importance of gender in recruiting for top management positions

Figure 2.14 Importance of gender in recruiting for top management positions

In all corporate offices, the top management positions are conventionally held by

men. 44.1% of women find gender highly important in recruiting top management positions.

35.3% of women experience gender bias in the same Majority women agree that gender is a

basis for recruiting top management positions in the corporate sector. A minor group feels

that gender is unimportant while recruiting top management positions. This data is proof that

gender is yet again a factor in determining the top management positions for women.

Organization’s need for improving gender diversity

Figure 2.15 Organization’s need for improving gender diversity

 M 16

For a woman, hustling between her work life and family life, their mental and physical

health is important. How far does the corporate sector acknowledge this? An equal percentage

of 395 of women said yes and no and 22% of women responded with maybe. This shows that

there are no earnest efforts made to cater to women and their physical and mental health in the

corporate sector.

From the survey conducted it can be concluded that though the corporate sector is

trying to bring a change for women employees, gender bias is still existing. For women

working in corporate sectors, the reason of being a woman matters in many aspects of their

work life. This proves that corporate sectors are made to nurture and develop the male

workers more than it is for the women. Though there are changes happening in the system, it

is not significant enough to make women feel that they are valued and wanted in their

workplace. This survey shows how a woman working in the corporate field feels like fighting

for what they deserve.

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Chapter III

Working Conditions of Women in the Corporate Sector: An Analysis

Gender inequality in the workplace takes many forms like unequal pay, biased

opportunities, disparity in promotions and more. Women are still facing gender inequality in

their workplaces after many laws and policies were passed. From the survey conducted, it is

evident that women are not satisfied with their workplace and how they are being treated. “A

study by Pascale found that a woman’s job satisfaction appears to be less tied to her pay than

it is for a man”. There are other reasons that affect job satisfaction for women. From the one

hundred and three responses collected, only 7.8% of women are completely satisfied with

their workplace. 25.5% of women are satisfied but not fully with their workplace. 23.5% of

women have a neutral stand. They are neither completely satisfied nor completely

dissatisfied. A major percentage of women, that is 35.3% of them are not satisfied with their

workplace and 7.8% of women are completely dissatisfied with their workplace. When we

look at the percentages, the percentage of women completely satisfied and completely

dissatisfied are the same. Also the percentage of women dissatisfied in their workplace is

higher than that of women satisfied in their workplaces. This shows that there are factors like

biased pay scale, lack of acknowledgments for achievements, lack of representation,

difficulty in maintaining a work life balance affecting a woman in the corporate sector that

are leading to this dissatisfaction. The difficulties a woman faces in the corporate sector are

different from person to person and organization to organization. Lack of acknowledgment of

their achievements, the hard work and efforts put by women employees and discarding their

issues and problems is the most faced difficulty. 37.3% of women face this in their

workplace. 31.4% of women face biased pay in their workplace. Though the position and
 M 18

work done are the same, men are paid more than women. For the same qualifications, skills

and efforts the payment varies due to gender. Lack of opportunities is the problem faced by

30.4% of women. Because of one’s gender the opportunities they receive are less challenging

or even less in number. A man and woman working in the same position with the same

qualification, the man might always have the upper hand in receiving opportunities and

challenging work. Statistics shows that six in every 10 jobs prefer male candidates, even as

women continue to be preferred for low-quality, low-status and low-paid informal jobs. From

studies it can be inferred that employers favour men not because they are prejudiced against

women, but because they have the perception that men perform better on average at certain

tasks. The preference for male candidates was found to be based on the type of work done by

the organization. Corporate sector preferred men to do work that required high flexibility in

the shifts, in transferring locations, for technical works. Women are considered less and

looked down upon by the corporate sectors in fulfilling challenging opportunities. According

to the reports women are demanding more from their workplace and they are leaving their

companies in unprecedented numbers to get it. Women as likely as men at their level want to

be promoted and aspire to move forward in their career. In many companies, however, they

experience micro aggressions that undermine their authority and signal that it will be harder

for them to advance. Women are seeking a different culture of work. They want more

flexibility, they want to work for a company that is more committed to employee well-being,

they demand equal opportunities and want acknowledgement for the work done. The data

collected from the survey confirms the negligence of the corporate sector in handling their

female employees. All the who participated in the survey felt discrimination in one way. A

big percentage of women have responded to each of the above mentioned problems. This

shows that no matter which organization, for a woman employee one of the above mentioned
 M 19

and many other problems have to be faced in their workplace. All the above mentioned issues

have been reported to the concerned authorities. It is the organization’s responsibility to

analyse and take necessary measures to acknowledge these issues. From the data collected, it

is seen that 57.4% of women responded positively, that their organization’s are

acknowledging the issues and trying to bring a change in the system. But for 42.6% of

women, their organization’s are not giving enough attention to these issues which will affect

the women employees there. Women reported facing constrained communication, unequal

standards, salary inequality, and even workplace harassment. From the data collected it can

also be inferred that maintaining a work life basis, establishing authority, collaborating in

challenging works have also become an issue. A big percentage of organizations are not

responding to these issues, which show the corporate sector’s negligence towards its women

employees. The women working in the corporate sector know the existing issues and they

know solutions to it. 40.2% of women suggested that having more women in top management

positions will help other women employees. When the management is ready to hear their

problems, only then can they find solutions to it. Only a woman employee can relate to the

problems raised by another woman. So having more women in senior positions will help to

handle the situations. This shows how inadequate a male dominant management is. 29.4% of

women want a unified pay scale. For the equal work done by a male and a female employee,

the pay should be even. Gender should not be a basis for deciding the pay scale for

employees. According to a study conducted in 2020, “women earned 84% of what men

earned for the same job. This gender pay gap has persisted over the past years, shrinking by

just 8 cents in 25 years”. It is also found that, “women ask for pay raises just as often as men,

but they get it only 15% of the time as compared to 20% when men ask”. So the disparity in

the pay scale should be removed to bring equality in the workplace. 27.5% of women feel
 M 20

that giving equal job opportunities to women like men would bring a change in the work

environment for women. For a man and a woman having equal qualifications, skills and

working in the same position, challenging job opportunities or key projects will be given to

the male employee and then passed down to the female employee. This shows the corporate

sector’s idea of considering women as incapable of challenging tasks and jobs. Paying

attention to women as much as men was another solution suggested. Acknowledging and

helping a woman to develop her career is as important as helping a man. From all the

mentioned solutions, it can be inferred that gender inequality exists in the corporate sector.

For a woman working in the corporate sector, their jobs are not challenging enough. 27.8% of

women find their jobs challenging. A majority of women have a neutral stand on this. 36.6%

of women find their job neither challenging nor unchallenging. For another 36.6% of women,

their jobs are unchallenging. Their enthusiasm and potential cannot be used for high end jobs

because they are not assigned any. The premonition that women are incapable of handling

tough jobs still prevails in the corporate sector and the above data confirms this. Only a minor

percentage of women receive what they deserve. The rest are side-lined because of their

gender and the superstitions existing with it. As a woman, handling both work life and

personal life is said to be difficult. 33.6% of women find balancing their work and life

effortless. 37.6% of women have a neutral opinion. They are neither able to maintain a

balance nor an imbalance. This shows that women are on the edge with their work life and

personal life. 15.8% of women find it difficult to maintain the balance and 12.9% of women

find it very difficult to keep their work-life balance. A vast majority find it difficult to

maintain the work-life balance. This shows how the corporate sector is stressing the women

employees. Women are not able to separate their work from their personal life and this will

lead to mental and physical problems. Gender equality in the workplace is the need of the
 M 21

hour. There are multiple factors that prove the existing gender equality in workplaces.

Corporate sector is not any better. 33.7% of women are of the opinion that gender equality is

practiced in their workplace. But the same percentage of women responded that gender

equality is absent in their organizations. Also 32.7% of women have a neutral opinion. This

shows that there is not much importance given to gender equality within their organizations.

According to a study conducted by ‘The Mckensy’, it shows that “although there has been

some progress in women’s representation over the past few years, the study showcases the

disparity between men and women in the workplace. It finds that women are less likely to be

hired into entry-level jobs than men, even though they currently earn more bachelor’s degrees

and have the same attrition rate. As employees move up the corporate ladder, the disparity

increases. For every 100 men promoted to manager, only 86 women achieve the same status.

The lack of entry-level women hires results in fewer qualified women to promote from

within. This creates a vicious cycle, which the McKinsey report anticipated would continue

until companies take dedicated action toward gender equality”. The above data proves this

right. Gender inequality is also evident in the opportunities given to a woman working in the

corporate sector. 46.5% of women responded that they are not receiving equal opportunities

as that of their male co-workers. Even though the qualifications and work they do might be

the same, when it comes to new opportunities, it is given first to the male employee and then

to the female employees. This once more proves that gender is a basis for the corporate sector

to make decisions. A woman and her opinions are always looked down upon. In the corporate

sector this exists to an extent. Every employee, no matter how minor their positions are,

should receive the respect they deserve as an individual working in that organization. But in

the corporate sector it is found that only 42% of women feel that they are receiving the

respect and authority they deserve from their co-workers and superiors. 52% of women
 M 22

responded that they are not given the authority that they deserve because of their gender. In

the corporate sector, for 37.3% of women gender has not been a basis for deciding on their

promotions. But 27.5% of women have responded that they are not sure if gender does or

does not play a role in their promotions and 35.3% of women agreed that gender has a role in

the promotions they receive. According to an article by ‘Better Up’, it is seen that “For every

100 men promoted to manager, only 86 women are promoted. This problem is compounded

at higher levels of leadership: fewer women managers means there are fewer candidates to

promote to heads of department, directors, and C-suite positions. The lack of representation is

clear as day: 62% of C-suite positions are held by men, compared with 20% taken up by

women”. The above data adds to this gender disparity in giving promotions. The difference in

the percentages of gender having a role and not having a role in determining promotions

shows us that being a woman will be harder in the corporate sector if you wish to develop

your career. Gender also plays a major role in women receiving key projects, women missing

out on raises or promotions. 44.1% of women agreed to this. According to 44.1% of women,

gender plays a very important role in recruiting women to top management positions. From

all the data inferred we can come to a conclusion that gender plays a significant role in

developing the career of a woman working in the corporate sector. For a woman, gender is a

barrier to many opportunities that can help them develop their career. For 37.3% of women,

being a woman will make it harder for them to move forward in the corporate sector.

According to the Global Gender Gap Report 2020,”it is estimated that it would take us 99.5

years to achieve gender parity. The 2021 report states that the gender gap will not close for

135.6 years because it impacts women harder than men. From various researches the data

collected it is understood that gender disparity is an evil existing in the corporate sector. It is

affecting the women working there in ways that may disrupt their career’s development.
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Chapter IV
Conclusion

“Many women experience bias not only because of their gender, but also because of

their race, sexual orientation, a disability, or other aspects of their identity—and the

compounded discrimination can be much greater than the sum of its parts. As a result, these

groups of women often experience more micro aggressions and face more barriers to

advancement. It’s critical that companies and coworkers are aware of these dynamics so they

can more effectively promote equity and inclusion for all women” (Dixon-Fyle et al.). It is

inferred from the survey that most organizations are gender biased. This makes it difficult for

women working in the corporate sector to advance in their career. In the corporate sector the

essential criterias a woman considers before committing to a job is missing. Being flexible to

maintain work- life balance, receiving equal recognition and acknowledgments for the work

done, consideration as an equal to their male coworkers, assigning challenging opportunities

are some of the expectations women have. From the research conducted it can be derived

that most women are unaware about the disparities existing in the corporate sector. For the

women who realize the gender inequality, there is no considerable effort from the

organization’s part to create a better working condition for women employees. Gender

inequality is affecting women in many ways. They find it strenuous to maintain a work - life

balance, their career tends to be stagnant as they do not get challenging opportunities similar

to their coworkers, they miss on opportunities for a promotion and a raise because of their

gender. To make meaningful and sustainable progress towards gender equality, companies

should focus on retaining their women employees by understanding and catering to their

needs.
 M 24

Suggestions

 Gender equality should be maintained in all aspects of the corporate sector.

 Promote gender diversity by trying to employ more women in top management

positions as it motivates other women employees.

 Women employees should be aware of their rights and the laws.

 Implement facilities to help women to maintain a work - life balance. Amenities like

day care facilities, bringing your child to office day, paid parental leaves.

Limitations

 The survey is restricted to companies or branches of companies in certain locations.

 Responses are collected from women coming from different backgrounds.

 Responses are highly subjective.

 The differences in the working system of various organizations are not considered.

 Data is limited to 100 participants.

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Bibliography

fyle, dixon. Women in Corporate America Is at a Critical the Workplace Crossroads.

https://wiw-report.s3.amazonaws.com/Women_in_the_Workplace_2020.pdf
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Appendix

Name: Megha M

Purpose of survey: To study the differences a woman faces working in the corporate sector

Number of respondents: 103

Questionnaire

1. On a scale of 1- 5, how satisfied are you with your work place?

1 2 3 4 5

2. According to you, what’s the most common difficulty for a women working

in corporate sector?

Biased pay scale

Lack of acknowledgment (achievements, issues, hard work)

Lack of opportunities

Ni

3. Do you think your organisation is doing its best to address these issues?

Yes No

4. If not, do you have any suggestions as to how these issues should be

addressed?

Bring a unified pay scale system

Having more women in senior positions

Giving equal opportunities to men and women

 M 27

Pay attention to women as much as men

Nil

5. On a scale of 1-5, how challenged are you on a daily basis at your

workplace?

1 2 3 4 5

6. On a scale of 1- 5, how would you rate your work-life balance?

1 2 3 4 5

7. Do you find gender equality in your workplace?

Yes No Maybe

8. Are you getting opportunities similar to your male co-workers?

Yes No Maybe

9. Is your pay scale equal to that of your male co-workers?

Yes No

10. Are you given the authority that you deserve by your superiors and

colleagues?

Yes No

11. When determining promotions at your organisation do you think gender has

an influence there?

Yes No Maybe
 M 28

12. Have you ever felt that your gender has played a role in you missing out on

a raise, promotion, key project or a chance to get ahead?

Yes No Maybe

13. Going further do you think your gender will make it harder or easier for you

to advance in your career or will it not make any difference?

Harder Easier No difference

14. How important is gender while recruiting the top management positions of

your organisation?

Important Very important Not important

15. Do you think your organisation should do more for improving gender

diversity?

Yes No Maybe

16. Does your organisation acknowledge your mental and physical difficulties?

Yes No Maybe
 M 29

Select bibliography

“Country Fact Sheet: UN Women Data Hub.” Country Fact Sheet | UN Women Data Hub,
https://data.unwomen.org/country/lesotho

Dixon-Fyle, Sundiatu, et al. “Diversity Wins: How Inclusion Matters.” McKinsey &
Company, McKinsey & Company, 19 May 2020, https://www.mckinsey.com/featured-
insights/diversity-and-inclusion/diversity-wins-how-inclusion-matters

jha, mamta. Occupational Stress at Workplace: Study of the ... - IOSR Journals.
https://iosrjournals.org/iosr-jbm/papers/Vol17-issue1/Version-3/B017131321.pdf

wooll, Maggie. “Gender Inequality in the Workplace: The Fight against Bias.” Gender
Inequality in the Workplace: The Fight Against Bias, https://www.betterup.com/blog/gender-
inequality-in-the-work-place