For women bosses of India Inc, the verdict is clear: workplaces need to be made more inclusive with better policies.
Now in its third year, the Economic Times Women Ahead listing , based on an extensive study carried out by consulting firm SpencerStuart, presents much-needed role models from India Inc for India Inc. Picked by a very exacting jury, the women featured here have made an impact, not just in their companies, but on society in general. A few of them are already well known, while others have come into the spotlight for the very first time.
And if you are planning to pursue one of these sectors to boost your career, the advice from these ladies would be priceless.
What I enjoy most about work: I started my professional career in Godrej as a management trainee. What keeps me going here is the spirit of empowerment and the varied opportunities.
What I have learnt about work-life balance: It comes on its own when one is passionate about what one is doing, both in personal and professional life. As a working mother, I have learnt the criticality of prioritising and delegating wherever possible, both at home and at work. I am fortunate to be backed by a super-efficient team and a super-supportive family. I remember having conducted meetings at home when my daughter’s caretaker was not in.
How companies can improve gender diversity at the top: Ensure the right support at the right time in different phases of woman’s life. Provide mentors for high-potential women to guide them in their journey to the top. Implement women-friendly policies like flexi-time.
What I have learnt about work-life balance: I try to make up for a week of travel by spending an undisturbed weekend with my family. Sometimes it’s the other way round.
How companies can improve gender diversity at the top: Bring women into every function. Be open to the idea that women can succeed in anything. Men need support too, so give them access to flexi-time you give women.
My advice to other career women: Don’t go on a guilt trip. You can be a responsible mother, wife, daughter, daughter-in-law without giving up your career. It will bring you happiness and joy which will pass naturally to your family.
Mankiran Chowhan Managing Vice President and Country Manager-Sales Gartner
Mankiran Chowhan, Managing Vice President and Country Manager-Sales, Gartner
What I enjoy most about work: It allows me the good fortune of getting a 360° view of how businesses are leveraging technology to drive growth.
What I have learnt about work-life balance: My most important lesson coming back from two maternity breaks was to communicate. Once I made the decision to not do any meetings or conference calls between 6-9 pm in order to keep that time reserved for my kids, I ensured key stakeholders knew that.
How companies can improve gender diversity at the top: Research has proven that there is business sense in gender diversity and for this to work, men and women both have to be united around the effort.
My advice to other career women: Don’t underestimate the power of you. By not taking up a new role today because you may be getting married or having children in the next 6 months is denying yourself of an opportunity.
What I enjoy most about work: I get to push myself out of my comfort zone every day. Each-day the challenges force me to unlearn, relearn and change. It’s a journey of self-improvement. The more I have embraced this fact, the more resilient I have become in learning from my failures.
What I have learnt about work-life balance: Building a fast-growing business, there is no such thing as work-life balance. Instead, what I have come to believe is in work-life harmony. If you truly love and enjoy what you do, it will reflect in the quality of your personal life and relationships. Similarly, if you have meaningful relationships in your personal life, you will be satisfied at work too.
How companies can improve diversity at the top: It starts with a belief in the organisation that women can take up any role and do well. Create role models within the organisation. No amount of gender policies, processes or posters in offices will help if this fundamental belief and role models are missing.
My advice to other career women: The biggest decision which has shaped my career is who I decided to spend the rest of my life with. That is the longest and most important partnership of your life.
Nimisha Jain, Partner, Boston Consulting Group India
What I enjoy most about work: To work with organisations to help achieve the unachievable. As the first career woman in my family, I’ve learnt that nothing is impossible — when you put your mind to it, there is always a way.
What I have learnt about work-life balance: You don’t have to do it all yourself — it’s really been a “team sport,” with my husband, family, coworkers and friends all coming together. I constantly scrounge to find hidden chunks of time to do more with each day, whether it’s a critical conference call on a weekend or spending 15 minutes in the middle of a workday to help my son prepare for his all-important “show-and-tell” at school.
How companies can improve gender diversity at the top: As one of five girls in a class of 50, the only non-engineer in many teams and the only woman at many clients. I’ve often been the “outsider” in the room. I am comfortable with who I am and share my “alternate” view. Organisations need to make a conscious effort to hear, understand and support alternate voices — for true diversity at the top and real impact on performance.
My advice to other career women: Don’t wait for someone else to carve the path for you.