“Diversity and inclusion (D&I) are not just trendy terms; they are fundamental components of a successful and sustainable organization. While there has been a notable shift in organizations taking D&I seriously, creating a diverse and inclusive workplace necessitates more than just policies; it requires a cultural transformation. The landscape of diversity and inclusion is expected to evolve, with a greater emphasis on gender equality, more inclusive workplace practices, and increased representation of women in leadership roles,” emphasizes Vishal Kedia, Founder & Director, Complykaro Services Pvt. Ltd.
Why is the Indian industry struggling with gender equality at workplace?
Vishal Kedia
Corporate India grapples with achieving gender equality in the workplace due to age-old cultural beliefs, patriarchal norms, traditional gender roles and most importantly non-compliance with regulatory laws relating to Diversity & Inclusion. Additionally, companies often lack the necessary awareness and willingness to address gender disparities, leading to unconscious bias and stereotyping.
What are the challenges that women face at the Workplace? What are the strategies that can help them address and work on the challenges?
Women encounter various challenges in the workplace, including gender discrimination, unequal pay, limited career development opportunities and difficulties in maintaining work-life balance. Strategies to overcome these challenges include being aware of regulatory laws and company policies around Diversity and Inclusion and engaging in professional career development programmes.
How can HR professionals aim to strike the right equilibrium when it comes to diversity & inclusion?
HR professionals can achieve a balanced approach to diversity and inclusion by implementing inclusive policies and practices based on laws that are regulatory in nature and relate to employability and diversity & inclusion. This involves ensuring implementation of a fair recruitment process, having in place a robust evaluation mechanismfor promotions, having in place proper redressal mechanisms for employee grievances, providing equal career growth opportunities thereby fostering a supportive work environment where all employees feel valued, productive and protected.
What are the best practices that companies can implement to offer a safe & sound working culture for women?
Companies can cultivate a safe and supportive working environment for women by implementing compliance with Prevention of Sexual Harassment (PoSH) Act, offering flexible work arrangements, providing maternity leaves as per the law, bridging the pay gap between genders and promoting diversity and inclusion throughout the company.
How can organizations like yours create an awareness among women on the diversity & inclusion best practices and raise their voice against any unethical practices?
Complykaro is an ISO 9001:2015 & ISO: 29993:2017 certified and empaneled as a resource company for providing POSH training by Ministry of Women and Child Development, Government of India. Complykaro advises over 600 companies in India to be compliant with various laws including the PoSH Act. We provide instructor-led training as well as scenario-based e-learning solutions in all languages. For PoSH, we have sensitized about 50 lakhs employees and trained about 50,000 ICC members apart from providing external members. In addition to that we offer training and compliance solutions extensively on other regulatory D&I laws such as Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act, 2019, the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016 (RPWD), and the Human Immunodeficiency Virus and Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (Prevention and Control) Act, 2017 as well. We also offer training solutions around other regulatory topics like Anti-money laundering, Anti-Bribery Anti-corruption, Prevention of Children against Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, Code of Conduct, Whistleblower Mechanism and Risk Management.
How can diversity impact success at the workplace?
Diversity can positively impact workplace success by bringing diverse perspectives, ideas, and experiences to the discussion table. This will enhance decision-making, bring about innovation, and improve problem-solving abilities which shall ultimately contribute to the overall success of the company.
What are the governing laws for Diversity & Inclusion in the country?
The legal framework for diversity and inclusion in India includes the Equal Remuneration Act, 1976, the Maternity Benefit Act, 1961, the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition, and Redressal) Act, 2013, the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act, 2019, the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016, and the Human Immunodeficiency Virus and Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (Prevention and Control) Act, 2017.
How do you foresee the landscape shaping from here on?
Diversity and inclusion (D&I) are not just trendy terms; they are fundamental components of a successful and sustainable organization. While there has been a notable shift in organizations taking D&I seriously, creating a diverse and inclusive workplace necessitates more than just policies; it requires a cultural transformation. The landscape of diversity and inclusion is expected to evolve, with a greater emphasis on gender equality, more inclusive workplace practices, and increased representation of women in leadership roles.
Presently, most of the corporates are focusing primarily on recruitment with respect to gender diversity but I believe that companies will soon be forced to look at other D&I constituents also. In fact, from FY 2023-24 as per the new SEBI ESG Rating Framework, companies would need to be compulsorily basis pay parity between gender as well as infrastructure etc being provided for differently abled amongst others.
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