21% of Women Lack Leadership Development and 22% Struggle With Work-Life Balance, Shows Great Place To Work Report

Mumbai, September 24rd, 2025 – Great Place To Work® India announced its much-anticipated report titled “From Intent to Impact: Celebrating India’s Best Workplaces for Women and in Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Belonging” offering one of the most comprehensive views of workplace inclusion in the country. Drawing on extensive confidential survey data from employees across India, the study reveals both areas of progress and the persistent gaps that organizations must address to create truly equitable workplaces.

The findings highlight a pressing reality: 15 percent of women in India continue to report that they do not experience egalitarian treatment at work. This lack of fairness remains one of the most significant barriers to building trust and inclusion. The data shows that equitable treatment is not only a moral imperative but also a powerful business driver. Employees who experience it are 4.1 times more likely to feel their management genuinely cares for them as individuals. They are also far more likely to believe that performance is evaluated fairly, and that managers avoid favouritism. These insights make it clear that fairness and trust are deeply interconnected.

The study also shines a spotlight on the experiences of Historically Excluded Groups (HEGs), including women, persons with disabilities (PwDs), LGBTQIA+ employees, and other underrepresented communities, who collectively make up 30 percent of India’s workforce in 2025. Women form an overwhelming percentage of this group, yet their representation declines steadily at each step of the leadership ladder. The report found that 21 percent of women lack access to leadership development opportunities, 22 percent report struggling with work-life balance, and 18 percent face inflexible work arrangements.

These barriers are especially evident for women returning after maternity, who often encounter rigid schedules, insufficient leave policies, and limited empathy from management, leading to higher stress and attrition.

For other HEGs, the challenges are equally pronounced. Employees with disabilities face the sharpest disparities in compensation, career advancement, and fairness. LGBTQIA+ employees report ongoing struggles with bias in promotions and decision-making, limited career growth opportunities, and inequities in pay. Despite these obstacles, the study also identifies encouraging signals. Universal drivers of belonging such as reliable management, fairness in treatment, reduced workplace politics, and workplaces that encourage engagement and fun at work emerged as critical levers to build inclusive environments across all groups.

Perhaps most importantly, the study establishes the direct business impact of inclusive practices. Organizations recognized as Best Workplaces are consistently ahead in productivity, employee retention, customer service, and agility. They achieve this by embracing transparent promotion processes, investing in empowerment and growth programs, cultivating empathetic managers, and ensuring employees have access to senior leadership. These measures not only elevate the employee experience but also position businesses for sustainable success in an increasingly competitive landscape.

Great Place To Work® India urges organizations to view these insights as a roadmap to action. Closing gaps in egalitarian treatment, supporting women through critical career milestones, and ensuring that HEGs are fully included in workplace culture are not just matters of fairness. They are the foundation for future-ready, high-performing organizations.