Women working in organisations leading in gender equality more productive, loyal: Survey

New Delhi: Women who work in organisations that lead in gender equality have three times higher loyalty, productivity, and motivation than those working with laggards, a survey said on Monday. Deloitte's 'Women @ Work' survey said the transition to full-time work has resulted in difficult adjustments for many women professionals. Around 41 per cent women have asked for a reduction in their hours, 31 per cent said it has negatively impacted their mental well-being. These parameters are better for those who are returning to office in a hybrid setup, the survey said.

The Deloitte survey said on a scale of 100, women working for Gender Equality Leaders (GELs) scored their loyalty at 76, productivity at 75, and motivation and sense of belongingness at 71. These women professionals are far more likely to recommend their organisations to other women, feel far more satisfied with the mental health support extended to them, and feel more comfortable talking about their mental health in the workplace.

They are also much more optimistic about their career prospects and confident that being a woman is not a disadvantage in their organisation. Women working for "laggards" perform significantly poorly on all these parameters, said the survey which represents the views of 5,000 women across 10 countries, including India. "When your policies targeted at growing the careers of women professionals translate into action, you will be much better placed to grow, because you're getting the best perspectives and a driven, gender-diverse workforce. Moreover, and importantly, you're nurturing a nourishing and safe workplace," says Saraswathi Kasturirangan, Chief Happiness Officer, Deloitte India.

The survey said women in India are still shouldering the bulk of responsibility when it comes to childcare and caregiving for adults. The instances where the partner shoulders these responsibilities or where there is an equal split are higher when the woman is the primary breadwinner.

Even in such situations, there is a far higher reliance on paid help in India than with global counterparts (31 per cent in India versus 6 per cent globally). "An oft-neglected area with inclusive practices is getting your male professionals to be better allies, at work and home," she added. Policies related to parental care and adult caregiving need to reflect on this expectation. "Keeping with the higher trust placed in paid help for childcare in India, organisations could amplify their day-care provisions with facilities like nanny reimbursement," Kasturirangan said.