Indian Govt to Implement Flexible Work Guidelines to accelerate Women in Workforce

By: WE Staff | Tuesday, 17 September 2024

The Indian government is implementing flexible work guidelines to boost women's workforce participation, a strategy aimed at increasing female labor force participation. The guidelines address challenges like work-life balance and caregiving responsibilities. A task force led by Labour Secretary Sumita Dawra is addressing measures to support women's employment. The proposed framework includes flexible work arrangements for women, with recommendations for implementation by state governments and industries.

The government is exploring flexible work options, including part-time work or reduced hours, to fit existing work hours, to fit existing work hours, and potentially focus on industries with higher women workers, with a report expected by the end of this year. A study found that despite a rise in female participation in India's workforce from 23.9 per cent in 2016 to 26.8 per cent in 2024, women's representation in managerial positions remains low at 18.59 per cent, with a consistent drop in top-tier roles. Another study by LinkedIn and The Quantum Hub titled 'Women in Leadership in Corporate India' shows a rise in women in senior leadership roles from 16.6 per cent in 2016 to 18.7 per cent in 2023, but a consistent drop in female representation in top-tier roles including, 20.1 per cent in Director level, 17.4 per cent in VP level, and 15.3 per cent in C-Suite level.

Another report states that India needs 400 million more women in its workforce to contribute $14 trillion to the economy, requiring nearly doubling the female labor force participation rate from 37 per cent to 70 per cent by FY47. The report also highlights gender disparities in job security and recovery.