Elsa Angel Rose
A new report is out, done by the All India Management Association and KPMG India, which revealed that 79% of women professionals aspire to leadership roles, with over half targeting the C-suite. Yet, nearly 30% of companies reported no rise or, in fact, even a drop in women leaders over the past 5 years. Not just this, despite years of diversity, equity and inclusion efforts, only 1% of women reach boardrooms. The findings come from the Women Leadership in Corporate India 2026 report, based on a survey of over 200 professionals across sectors and company sizes.
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NOT JUST POLICIES, BUT ALSO A CLEAR PIPELINE AND PERCEPTION The findings of the reports are alarming and remind people to put more effort into making the workspace egalitarian and inclusive. “In India, we have regulatory frameworks like the requirement for listed companies under the Companies Act, 2013, to appoint at least 1 woman director and workplace protections through the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013. These policies are important because they set a minimum standard of inclusion and safety,” said Tanzeem Khan, human resources expert from Margao. But having standard policies in place alone is clearly not helping with improving female representation at the top level. There are several drawbacks to be addressed. “The issue is not only policy, but it is also pipeline and perception. Many organisations appoint 1 woman director simply to comply with regulations, but very few companies systematically build a pipeline of women leaders across middle and senior management. Without that pipeline, boardroom representation remains symbolic,” shared Tanzeem. According to her, India does not have a talent gap but an opportunity gap. She said, “In many workplaces, the projects that lead to leadership visibility, such as revenue responsibility, expansion projects or crisis management roles, are still more frequently given to men. Leadership readiness is often judged based on these experiences, so women may be unintentionally excluded from the track that leads to boardrooms.”
INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL FACTORS AT PLAY
Even if a woman aims for a top-level position at her workplace, there are many gender biases, stereotypes and pressure from different sources that hold women aback. In the majority of societies, women are still viewed primarily as caregivers and homemakers, forcing them to balance work and family. Family pressures often discourage them from pursuing leadership roles. Social expectations that women must manage household and caregiving responsibilities continue to limit their path to boardroom and C-suite roles,” said Dr Aida Dourado, a sociology subject expert and educator from Nuvem. Low self-confidence and inability to self-motivate are also reasons for lower performance.
WOMEN START WELL, BUT FACE MID-CAREER CRISIS
In the race to build a robust and successful career, both men and women start off well, but unlike men, women tend to face a mid-career obstacle. “Many women reach a stage where they are simultaneously expected to perform at peak levels professionally while also managing childcare, elder care and societal expectations around family roles. Women don’t leave careers because they lack ambition; they often leave because the system was never designed to support their life realities,” shared Tanzeem. Slower promotions and being overlooked for leadership opportunities are also challenges faced by women. “After years of strong performance, women may find themselves stagnating at the same level while peers progress,” Tanzeem.
CHANGES NEEDED IN ORGANISATIONS
Impactful changes need to happen. These sorts of changes happen through organisational practices rather than just laws. “A few organisations are beginning to identify high-potential women employees early and groom them through leadership mentoring, client-facing exposure and strategic project ownership. Some organisations are also creating returnship programs for women who took career breaks, which is particularly relevant in India, where many women step away from work for family responsibilities,” shared Tanzeem. Regarding the mid-career crisis, a structured intervention is needed. The importance given to entry-level hiring and diversity should be given during the mid-career phase as well. “Companies should actively check in with women employees at the 8 to 12 year career mark, offering leadership coaching, role redesign or strategic career planning,” Tanzeem explained. If even an iota of the attention that companies give to fresher hiring and graduate training is directed toward mid-career retention, there is a strong possibility of ensuring greater female representation at the top levels, which is truly what we need.
