What is your opinion on the Gender Pay Gap in India? Have you experienced it? As the number of women working in every profession shot up, the difference in the wage gap between them and their counterparts became ever so evident. We call it the Gender Pay Gap.
It is only in recent times that women have come on board calling out this ill practice in almost every profession. Even Hollywood and Bollywood actress has been witness to this unfair idea of being paid lesser than men. Having the same amount of education, skill set, expertise and experience but still being paid than your peers (men) is not only frustrating but highly disappointing. We dive deep into the issue as we listen to a few professionals share their own experiences.
Bunisha KhajaMohaideen - Co-Founder, Terabite Ekarts
Gender Pay Gap is predominant and non-measurable especially in the unorganised sector when compared to organised sectors because of lesser opportunity towards education, employment and training programs. In organised sectors, recent corporate policies, amendments and framework helps to narrow the Gender Pay Gap whereas Social injustice in the unorganised sector widens the gap even furthermore. So we need to empower women from the bottom level of the social pyramid if we really need to overcome gender based pay disparity. Startups like Terabite ekarts are empowering independent women entrepreneurs and self help groups through opportunity, technology, training exposures to stand on their own with promising business models.
I have not experienced any gender biased pay gap so far and look forward to providing similar exposure to women in our startup.
Ashwini
Dr. Shikha Baghi Bhandari - CEO & Owner, Timeless Aesthetics
Gender pay gap is a clear and present issue. India is growing in terms of technology and economy however, is there an equal spread among the masses, I obviously think not.
Not lacking in skill but the lacking in compensation, is simply outrageous and unfair. It'll remain so as long as women don't break the glass ceiling and declare their presence. Best way to accomplish that is to start your own business. Become your own boss and spread equality as it should be.
Given the nature of my profession, it is primarily dominated by women so I cannot say that I have witnessed the gender pay discrepancy. However, there are those I know socially who confess to this phenomenon frequently to me. I wish I could put forth solutions to it but sadly, it requires a higher level of reformation.
My trainings allow women to be able to earn properly in the market. My trained professionals are running their own businesses both in India and abroad. and those who can't muster enough means, I hire myself.
My staff is treated on an equal scale. Merit first and skill second, regardless of what gender you are born with.
Ashwini
Shradha Vyas - Founder, Carpediem
Yes of course, the gender pay gap is real and not a myth. Men are normally considered more capable, more "get the work done" type. But what many don’t realize is that, Women are the ones that are better in planning, better in delegating, better in managing etc.… I did experience the pay gap when I was in my third job, after a decent years of experience in my belt, that a male colleague with the same / even lesser experience than me had been given a promotion even though my results were much better. But in the end of the day, hard work matters and that’s lead me to opening my own Company where we not only promote gender equality in all aspects, but we also have a healthy competition between the genders.
Ashwini
Adhvika Agarwal - Co-founder, ORCO
Gender Pay gap exists in India and at every level. When we talk about blue collar jobs, the women are differentiated on the basis of strength and it is already assumed by people that a woman doesn’t have much strength and hence should be paid less. Talking about white collar work, getting paid less is a different thing all together, women are not even considered for job ! Even in 2021, you will see number of job posts on LinkedIn mentioning that only male candidates will be preferred. We are living in 21st century now and such differences are just absurd
When I was working, I experienced this first hand. It was that time of the year that makes some people nervous and others excited. The time of appraisals. I knew I had done well. But the increment wasn't what I had expected. When I confronted my manager, I was told that since the company already compensates for my travel they would cut down on my increment. I was taken aback when I heard this. And as expected I didn't last too long in that company.
I personally believe women can put as much hard work as men in any kinds of jobs and its time the industry starts treating women equally and giving them the due credit
Ashwini
Vanya Chandel - Founder, Forfurs
According to United Nations, legal restrictions have kept around 2.7 billion women from accessing the same choice of jobs as men and as of 2019, less than 25 per cent of parliamentarians were women and one in three women experience gender-based violence. This women’s day we should promise ourselves that we will do better by other women and ourselves. Be a little more kind and bold and go after things we want fearlessly. Raising our voice against injustice towards other women and uplifting and empowering each other, co-existing and collaborating and creating a safe and happy world for women everywhere. Happy Women’s Day!
Chahat Aggarwal- Founder and CEO of Impact Study Biz
Having done my fair share of stints in the corporate world, of course I have experienced a pay gap due to no other reason but my gender, which truly was heartbreaking. And without a shadow of a doubt, I find the gap to be absurd. The phenomenon is a roadblock to India’s path to achieving decent working conditions and inclusive growth. Economic women empowerment will help women in so many spheres. Its after-effects are truly immense. Fortunately, we are making progress, but it is low and needs to accelerate.
Ashwini
Bhakti Dalal - Independent Communications Consultant & Founder, BDCC
While Gender Pay Gap in India exists, it is slowly but surely diminishing.
Today, companies and organisations, (at least in metros and larger cities) are realizing that gender is not a factor that determines the quality of work. This realization is enabling people, regardless of their gender, to demand for fees/remuneration based on the output they deliver.
Yes, there of course is an apparent initial sense that women may not command the same pay as men but once the work ethic, style and output has been demonstrated, in my opinion, businesses are definitely evolving from their tradition mindsets. I have been fortunate to work alongside businesses (that although seem very one specific gender biased), they have been extremely professional when it comes to work.
Ashwini
Somali Singh - Co-Founder, Teknofeet
As a topic gender pay gap needs to be addressed holistically.
The pay gap is rooted in all segments of society. In India, the pay gap exists at all levels. In most cases, the pay gap increases with the job experience reflecting the fact that there is a considerable bias and stereotyping that exists in society. In my view, a 360-degree approach could be taken which starts right from educating about ‘discrimination in the workplace and removing conscious and unconscious bias in terms of women workforce, reinforcing diversity goals for organisations of all levels and creating an environment of ‘equal wages for all talent’ at all levels.
Ms. Ravina Jain - Founder & CEO, The Skin Story & The Beard Story
The highly prevalent gap in gender pay has its roots in the dominant patriarchal system that is slowly and steadily changing for the better. However, even this has not slowed down or halted the progress of leadership-oriented women to reach for their dreams and aspirations. On the other hand, the very mold that had kept many into the shadows is becoming the precise platform on which these women are launching their enthusiastic ventures, transforming the prevalent culture by redefining the socio-political prejudices and embarking on their journeys that are made of heart and hardships.
Ms. Pooja Nagdev - Founder, Inatur
In my opinion, Gender Pay Gap is a thing of the past. More than gender, merit is the key determinant of pay. Today women are leading some of the biggest organizations all over the world including India. They are excelling in the fields like Medicine, Healthcare, Politics, and even Space Exploration. There are equal employment opportunities. The government and administration have ensured that these opportunities are available not just in urban but rural areas. Minimum Wages and Statutory employee benefits do not discriminate between genders. Not just pays, there are private and public sector efforts to ensure that women have equal opportunities in education, nutrition & health to pave way for an equal and progressive career.
Anamika Pandey, Founder, Naario
In my opinion, the gender pay gap in India is very real. Not just in offices but at home. For instance, being a stay-at-home mom is a full-time job but are any of our homemakers really paid for it? I do not think so.
One of the reasons we started Naario was to bridge this gap. Even when you look at corporates and how the pay gap is, you'll not be surprised. A fairly big reason for this is that women are not seen as primary bread winners in India. An earning women is always viewed as secondary or additional income source. I had fallen prey to this mentality too and it took years to let go of this bias.
But there seems to be a ray of hope in the tunnel. With the Governement boosting the participation of women in the organised and unorganised sectors, there will be less information asymmetry in terms of pay scale. And that I think is the first step towards bridging the gap!
Ms.Ankita Dabas, Global CMO & Chief India Business Officer, LaunchMyCareer
India has been marking its place among the major economies of the world. However, despite the economic development gender pay gap persists in India. Pay in any organization should be skill-based and not gender-based. Women put as much effort into their work as men do, hence, the pay gap beyond a reasonable amount should not be accepted. In case any woman in any organization is subdued with lesser pay as compared to their male counterparts, she needs to understand the reason for the gap, and upskill herself in case of the skill-based gap. If the gap is non-skill-based, she needs to raise her voice against the discrimination and ask for raise. Women should realise their importance and their work’s significance. The situation in metros cities has been fast evolving towards gender-equal pay, however, a lot is still to be desired in other parts of the country.
Namrata Rupani, Founder & CEO, Capture Life Dental Care & Studio Capture Life
As an entrepreneur, I can assert with conviction that the thrill and euphoria of nurturing your own business and achieving your dreams far exceed any and every challenge along the way. In most sectors and setups, gender pay does exist as a phenomenon that is primarily driven by the prevalent patriarchal setup. However, it's the support system of leading woman entrepreneurs that has helped build a constructive and conducive environment for young potential entrepreneurs to be groomed for success and excellence.
Sargam Dhawan Bhayana, Founder & Director, Tressmart
The difference in earnings between men and women is still a very wide gap. In a world where women are successfully leading in politics, sports, healthcare, technology, manufacturing and businesses, wage inequality remaining a challenge, is a very shameful scenario. Wage equality gaps in India, in a way also impact the progress of gender equality at a national and international level.
Though the scenario is changing now, there is a huge gap that still needs to be bridged as far as gender pay gaps are concerned. The labor force in india is divided into the organized and unorganized sector, making this gap even more prevalent in the rural areas where women are facing disparity in wages at a much larger scale. Even though the Constitution of India grants us equal rights as women, and we are entitled to equal wages for equal work, it is not always implemented in reality.
Even though India has come a long way in addressing these issues, there is still a lot that needs to be done. To truly become a progressive nation, the government should make it their agenda to close the gender pay gap by emulating what has been done in more progressive Western countries to uplift women.
Shreya Sharma, C.E.O and Founder, Rest The Case
While I think it is getting better I think we still have a long way to go. Your pay is usually defined by your position and your gender often affects your growth, women have time and again faced this kind of discrimination without people seeing the work they could have put in. I have always believed that people should get paid for the work they put in and not what gender they are. They should get the pay they deserve.
Diksha Chhabra, Founder, Diksha Chhabra Fitness Consultations
Gender pay gap has been an existing issue not just at national but global levels.. there is no denying that women get less acknowledgement for their hardwork and participation at the work front compared to their male counterparts and this has its roots laiden from ages with the belief that women are inferior and should settle for less..
No matter how advance we become as a workforce , this thought will take time to diminish and over the years the gap is reducing with more awareness, flexibility, recognition and voice amongst women and the employers.
Studies show that the gap is bridging and factors that are working as catalysts are setting the right policies and approach of paying as per cerebral aptitude and not by the gender one is born with.
Neha Bagaria, Founder & CEO, JobsForHer
The pandemic has just widened the gender pay gap further in India with women being left behind on pay raises and bonuses. According to ADP's study 'People at Work 2021: A Global Workforce View', in India only 65 per cent of women received a pay rise or bonus for taking on extra responsibilities or a new role compared to 70 per cent of men.
We need to be cognizant of the fact that women typically under-report their achievements and give more credit to their team members than men do. Reporting managers need to be cognizant of these biases when evaluating women’s performance and ensure that gender pay parity is maintained in their teams.
Conclusion
Although, many organisations may refrain from acknowledging the fact that gender pay gap is a global reality and that women are being paid lesser than their male counterparts because, well, they're women. Feminism across the globe are on the rise and have taken up this issue due to the consequences and unfair nature of this practice.
It's not fair to be having equal talents and still being considered a runner up in the long run. Women work twice as hard in their professions just to make sure no one accuses them of playing the "women card" for climbing the corporate ladder. It's difficult enough that they are required to juggle multiple fronts at home and work. Women therefore are no longer passive about this situation seek full fledged attention and demand an equal opportunity and remuneration, rightfully so. If an opportunity arises where you have a say in this matter, please speak up and do the right thing!
