Globally, women have always been oppressed sex, often based on physical strength, emotional inclination, or preconceived gender roles. The world has progressed, and we have learnt a lot along the way. Mindsets, opinions, policies, and laws have become freer and more inclusive.
A target gender ratio is a common starting point for companies across sectors. Some industry segments may have a higher proportion than others, but there should be a set aim that a certain percentage of employees of the workforce should be female. Nowadays, women also work late or work in night shifts. They entrust the company with their safety and well-being, and the company must reciprocate with appropriate measures like adequate security staff, surveillance, and security within and around the office premises. Places that require long/late hours from employees can also provide shuttle transport for their personnel.
Best female-friendly companies in India
Here are the top 5 Indian companies for women to work in 2020:
1. Max Life Insurance
Max Life Insurance is one of India’s leading insurance companies and the only life insurance company to be recognized amongst the “Top 100 Great Places To Work For” by Great Place to Work Institute in its 2019 study. With over 400 companies participating and 69 from the BFSI sector, Max Life Insurance also has a place in the Top 20 Best Workplaces in the BFSI sector.
Max Life Insurance’s employee care, hiring, listening, and inspiring culture stands out. They wish to create a work environment that is diverse, transparent, and provides equal opportunities for growth to all employees irrespective of their gender. On the whole, Max Life Insurance provides a wok environment where one feels respected, cared for, and most importantly heard.
2. Yes Bank
Yes Bank launched an innovative pedometer-based WELLNESS initiative called ‘YES CLUB FIT’ to help further augment the health quotient of YES BANK executives. YES CLUB FIT was designed to help YES BANK employees become more active, within the time and space constraints of modern life, via a format that is fun, team-oriented and relevant to them.
Along with this initiative, there are regular sessions on ergonomics, meditation, Zumba, and lifestyle management. This initiative attracted participation from all executives irrespective of age, gender, physical ability, and fitness levels. To engage the growing workforce, Yes Bank follows the 5 C’s Engagement Model, i.e., Culture, Communication, Career, Connect, and Care.
3. Hindustan Unilever Limited
Hindustan Unilever Limited is one of the top consumer goods companies in India. The company has always promoted gender equality and measures to support sustainable growth.
Project Shakti aims to create earning opportunities for women in rural India by providing proper training and skill development to help them support and raise their families. Hindustan Unilever also offers flexible working hours, keeping in mind the hectic schedules of working women.
4. HDFC Bank
Going by market capitalization, HDFC Bank is the largest bank in India. HDFC Bank has over 11,633 ATMs and a customer base of over 28 million. It is also ranked 45th among the top 50 banks of the world. Employing more than 69,065 workers, HDFC Bank is one of the strongest contenders in the private banking space. HDFC Bank promotes equal treatment of all employees and provides well-equipped medical facilities suiting women’s needs. It provides a safe environment for working women and ensures zero tolerance towards any kinds of harassment in the workplace.
5. State Bank Of India
With a market capitalization of about INR 216,128.73 crore, SBI is the second most-valued bank in India and is perhaps the most trusted one, being a state-owned bank. It is also one of the largest employers in the country and employs over 220,000 personnel. SBI is open to honest feedback and supports transparency and ensures that there are no gaps in the workplace on any level.
Wrapping up
When women are made to feel like outsiders in their workplace because of their unique qualities or differences (e.g., gender, race/ethnicity, nationality, age, religion, sexual orientation), they experience a sense of exclusion.
Exclusion comes at a high cost to organizations in the form of lowered job satisfaction, inefficient work effort, diminished employee voice, and greater intention to leave. Building an inclusive workplace means creating a culture that fully engages, supports, and provides equal opportunities to all employees irrespective of gender.
Therefore, every organization should provide a safe and competitive environment for women in every sector.
Guest Author- Kunal Hirwani
very nice article and this is what i was looking for