siliconindia | | September 20198ver the years, corporate India has been compelled to sit-up and take note of a critical aspect of employee welfare ­ diversity and inclusion. When we talk about diversity, the tendency is to assume that it has only to do with `gender'. While gender diversity is the prominent challenge, in a country like India, the challenge of colour is additionally replaced with that of caste, social bracket and cultural associations. Therefore, these aspects of diversity demand attention as well. Diversity can be achieved if companies take specific actions and commit to this goal. More importantly, for organizational change, it is the leaders who have to drive diversity and inclusion.Gender Diversity, a Bigger Challenge in IndiaFemale participation in the labour market is 27.2 percent compared to 78.8 for men, reports United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). Women may be getting more college degrees, but they continue to be underrepresented in corporate India. Not surprisingly, this number is negligible in senior leadership. Some reports suggest that only one in five C-suite leaders is a woman. While many corporates are pioneering inclusion programs that aim at adding and retaining female employees and are committed to gender diversity, it has not progressed into a notable shift in most workplaces. Indian women give up their careers much earlier than professional women in other countries. Studies suggest that the mid 30s are a common age group for women to leave full time jobs. While this could be a result of life events, the exodus can be stemmed by giving their careers proper direction prior to the break. Supervisors/mentors have a crucial role to play here. A professional is more likely to come back to work when she knows what is expected of her and what growth trajectory she can expect in the future. In the absence of a clearly-defined career path, an employee coming back after a break would clutch at straws trying to fit roles and employers will potentially have a low employee engagement issue on their hands. There are enough studies to demonstrate that diversity has a beneficial effect on a company's culture and financial performance. Embracing diversity is a win across the board. The candidates are provided with equal opportunities and companies benefit from the different backgrounds and perspectives of a diverse workforce. It is therefore vital to not only liaise and communicate but also find ways to resolve the difficulties in scouting diverse candidates to interview and retaining diverse employees who accept the offer.OMAKING DIVERSITY & INCLUSION A SUSTAINABLE REALITYBy Vishwas Nandalikar, Head ­ HRBP, Adecco India Vishwas is an experienced head of human resources with a demonstrated history. He is also skilled in HR Consulting, Retail, Recruiting, HR Policies, and Human Resource Development.IN MY OPiNionVishwas Nandalikar
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