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India’s digital advancement has been continuously fueled by the growing proportion of women in the tech workforce. However, compared to the predicted percentage of males in the industry which stands at 36.1 lakh, there are significantly fewer women (20.5 lakh), as of 2024, a report has found. It adds that 24.3% growth is estimated in women’s participation in the tech workforce on all levels by 2027.
According to the ‘Women at the Heart of India’s Digital Evolution’ report by TeamLease Digital, this is primarily due to the multiple challenges women encounter, including low educational enrolment among young women, lack of quality opportunities, the gender pay gap, safety concerns, societal norms, discriminatory workplace practices, a lack of upskilling/reskilling as well as returning to work policies, etc.
A continual increase in the number of women joining or re-entering the tech workforce must become a reality, and increased involvement by women can only be genuinely realised as and when the aforementioned obstacles are addressed.
The report takes a deep dive into various aspects, including the total women’s tech workforce in India, women’s employment in GCC and in the non-tech sector, city-wise trends of women workforce expansion, in-demand and futuristic tech roles for women, and challenges faced by women in tech, among others.
It also discusses the future outlook for women working in the tech workforce, which includes a projected 24.3% increase in women’s participation across all levels – entry/freshers, junior, mid-senior, leadership, and C-Suite levels. The following are the details covered extensively in the report:
Changing dynamics of women’s participation in the workforce:
As our country strives to capitalise on its demographic dividend, with the world’s largest working-age population, which is predicted to reach over 70% by 2030. We can no longer afford women’s underrepresentation in the workforce.
Trends indicate that the next five years will be critical for the country to attain an 8% GDP growth rate and that women must account for more than half of the new workforce generated by 2030. The gender disparity in India’s labour force, attributable mostly to conservative societal norms and influenced by both demand-side and supply-side variables, remains the most enduring contradiction of recent decades.
Breaking barriers: Cracking tech roles in non-tech industries:
Speaking of facilitating greater female participation in tech, there are expected to be several reforms, including return-to-work programs, efforts to close the pay gap, the implementation of well-structured role models for STEM professionals, and the establishment of open pathways for equal opportunity, actively implemented by organisations. Further, the report offers a glimpse of the scenario of the tech women workforce in non-tech sectors.
According to the report’s findings, on average, more than 40% of women would be hired for both non-tech and tech-related positions in the BFSI, Manufacturing, Consumer, and Retail sectors by FY 2025. The average number of women in tech positions in non-tech companies is projected to rise by 9%.
According to city-specific statistics, the percentage of women joining the workforce from tier-1 cities (55%) outnumbers that of tier-2 cities. Female hiring is projected to centre in Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, and Gujarat in the coming months, with talent being hired in locations such as Chennai, Pune, Nasik, Coimbatore, Kochi, Aurangabad, and Vadodara. Currently, in the manufacturing segment, Tamil Nadu accounts for 43% of the total employed female workforce.
A hierarchy of inequality:
Additionally, the Women at the Heart of India’s Digital Evolution report revealed the comparison of gender representation across all hierarchical levels for men and women. It was found that the fresher level had the highest concentration of women, standing at 34%.
However, this percentage gradually declines as the hierarchy rises, with 26% of women in the junior level (3-5 years’ experience), 18% in the mid-senior level (5-15 years’ experience), 11% in leadership roles (15-20 years’ experience), and a mere 8% in the C-suite/boardroom level. The decline in women in leadership positions is ascribed to a lack of opportunities, support for women with caregiving responsibilities, and fewer mentors and role models.
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