19 JULY2024growth amidst intensified emphasis on digital transformation & preparing the organization for future ESG (environmental, social, & governance) considerations presents a significant challenge."Inclusive workplaces for women require intentional efforts and commitment to change. Strategies include diverse hiring practices, equal pay and benefits, leadership development programs, inclusive policies and culture, training and awareness workshops, employee research groups (ERGs), and ensuring women's representation in decision-making bodies. These efforts aim to address gender pay gaps, provide flexible work arrangements, parental leave, and childcare support, and encourage women to take on challenging assignments.Above all, the utmost point to shorten the gender gap is equal pay and providing the required benefits. Rituparna Chakraborty, co-founder of TeamLease Services, argues that India's women's employment situation is unique due to rising education levels and the pandemic, which has led to lower labor force participation in urban areas. The Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) shows a decline in women working in regular salaried jobs in urban India from 54 percent in Q1 to 52.8 percent in Q2 of the current fiscal year. However, self-employed women's percentage increased from 39.2 percent in Q1 to 40.3 percent in Q2 of FY24, while casual workers' percentage slightly increased from 6.8 percent to 6.9 percent. The labor force participation rate among women in urban areas has reached a six-year high of 24 percent but is lower than in rural areas. Labor economist KR Shyam Sundar suggests women often work to supplement family income, despite a structural transformation in India's labor market.
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