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

Mumbai: 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.

“At Great Place To Work®, we believe that organizations thrive when people feel genuinely valued and supported. When every individual, irrespective of their background, gender, identity, or race, feels a sense of belonging, their impact becomes exponential.

However, our study reveals that despite some progress, women’s representation at the workplace has plateaued at 26% over the last three years, with only 15% at Executive and C-Suite roles and just 8% at CEO positions. Besides, the Historically Excluded Groups (HEGs) represent 30% of the workforce in the year 2025.

The Best Workplaces are taking meaningful steps to shift these numbers upward. They employ 9% more women in the workplace compared to other workplaces, bringing women’s representation to 32%. While Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DEIB) is increasingly recognized as an important driver to lasting business success, India Inc. needs to create a more inclusive and wholesome experience for them. 1 in 5 Persons with Disabilities face challenges in egalitarian treatment, while many LGBTQIA+ individuals face challenges such as bias in promotions, limited involvement in decision-making, restricted career growth, and concerns about fair compensation.