Women continue to make up just 26 per cent of the Indian workforce in 2025, a figure that has remained unchanged for three consecutive years, according to the State of Inclusion: Where We Stand in 2025 report by Great Place to Work, a global consultancy that partners with organisations to improve workplace culture by measuring employee experience. After a period of steady growth, this stagnation signals a worrying slowdown in the path toward gender parity. The report further notes that while women form the largest share of historically excluded groups (HEGs) in the workforce, other categories such as persons with disabilities (PwDs), LGBTQIA+ employees, and veterans remain far less represented. Industry patterns reveal sharp contrasts— IT leads with more than 33 per cent HEG representation, while manufacturing, production, and construction continue to lag, underscoring the need to expand diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB) efforts beyond the tech sector. At the same time, overall employee sentiment toward inclusivity remains positive. As per the findings, 83 per cent said people care for each other at work, 82% described their workplaces as psychologically and emotionally healthy, and 87 per cent felt leaders embody the best traits of their organisation. Yet, women’s persistent underrepresentation across industries brings to the fore, the obvious structural challenges that hold them back from equal participation and leadership. Industry-wise workforce representation As per the findings, industries like non-profit (47%) and education (41%) perform far better than manufacturing (14%) or transportation (12%), showing how sectoral differences continue to drive women’s visibility at work. The leadership ladder gets narrower at the top According to the report, even when women enter the workforce, their chances of climbing the leadership ladder diminish sharply. While 28 per cent of individual contributors are women, representation plummets to 19 per cent among frontline managers, 16 per cent in mid-level leadership, and only 15 per cent at executive or C-suite level. At the very top, only 8 per cent of CEOs are women. What does data on representation by role show? As per the report, the stark difference in numbers reflects systemic biases, unclear promotion pathways, and cultural barriers. Many women surveyed described the workplace as a “boy’s club,” with limited managerial support and opaque leadership opportunities. ‘Maternity’ becomes the unspoken roadblock to growth According to the report, one of the biggest challenges for women remains the return to work after maternity leave. Emotional stress, lack of flexible leave, rigid work hours, and insufficient empathy from management often push new mothers to quit. What are the key challenges women are facing? –Leave constraints: Lack of work-from-home or flexible options. –Maternity transition: Apprehension after career breaks. –Lack of support: Missing growth plans or inconsistent empathy. –Motherhood stress: Long travel hours and physical strain. –Attrition risk: Pressure leading to dropouts post maternity. The report highlights that attrition among new mothers is closely tied to workplace inflexibility and outdated mindsets, not just policy gaps. Beyond maternity, what’s holding women back in their careers? According to the report, women continue to face five key systemic barriers that limit their growth into leadership positions. These include restricted access to growth opportunities, male-dominated leadership structures, unclear promotion pathways, and difficult work conditions that often lead to burnout. Added to this are instances of gender-based discrimination, ranging from unequal allowances to exclusion from decision-making. Together, these barriers explain why women’s representation has stalled at mid-level roles despite years of diversity initiatives. When inclusion isn’t equal: Women and fair treatment As per the report, 15 per cent of women do not experience egalitarian treatment at work. Disparities emerge most visibly in promotions, fairness in performance evaluation, and managerial favoritism. Women’s Experience of Egalitarian Treatment (2025) Statement Experience Egalitarian (%) Don’t Experience (%) Management shows sincere personal interest 87 21 People avoid politicking 78 21 Fair share of profits 74 20 Performance fairly evaluated 85 24 Promotions go to the deserving 81 23 Managers avoid favoritism 77 23 Special benefits offered 80 24 This data suggests that while workplaces are moving toward equity, nearly one in five women still perceives bias, undermining trust and long-term retention. Belonging at work: Beyond paychecks and policies what really matters in 2025 According to the report, belonging in the workplace is shaped less by salaries and perks and more by trust, fairness, and day-to-day experiences. Regression analysis identifies five top drivers of belonging in 2025: management reliability (33%), egalitarian treatment (19%), workplace facilities (17%), absence of politics (15%), and a sense of fun at work (15%). These findings show that employees value promises being kept, fair treatment across hierarchies, and an environment free from favoritism and backstabbing as much as they value infrastructure or social activities. So, what are the top motivations for employees? Driver Weight (%) Management delivers on promises 33 Treated as full member regardless of position 19 Facilities support good environment 17 Absence of politicking/backstabbing 15 Fun at work 15 For women employees, management reliability and egalitarian treatment are particularly significant, given their underrepresentation in leadership roles and the heightened risks of bias in promotions and evaluations. The report also highlights that belonging is even harder to achieve for LGBTQIA+ employees. Their biggest challenges also revolve around bias in promotions, limited opportunities for career advancement, and inconsistent compensation and benefits. Without structural safeguards and consistent recognition, many LGBTQIA+ employees feel undervalued – on the same terms as how gender and identity can intersect to create deeper layers of workplace exclusion. Best workplaces do better, but not enough One encouraging insight from the report is that ‘Best Workplaces’ employ 9 per cent more women than others. Representation at these organisations stands at 32 per cent, compared to 23 per cent in other workplaces. While this shows progress, it also underscores how inclusion still requires deliberate effort and institutional change.
