The Broken Rung- Stuck at Step One: India’s Great Promotion Bottleneck for Women
It’s Tougher Here: India’s Starkly Evident Gender Bias
Forbes India report states, Indian working women confront the stoutest gender bias across all Asia-Pacific (APAC) countries. In fact, almost 85% of Indian women point out that they have been left out on a raise or promotion due on gender basis- much greater than the regional average of 60%. This is not a secluded matter; it is rather a structural defect in the way corporate India recompenses, recognizes, and retains its female talent (Forbes India, 2021).
This in-built fault has a nomenclature- the BROKEN RUNG! Propagated by McKinsey & Company and LeanIn.org, it leads us to the mammoth truth to gender parity in leadership- the first step on the ladder- initial promotion from entry-level to manager.
The First Footstep That does not Prevail
In its innovative 2023 Women in the Workplace Report, McKinsey states, for every 100 men promoted to the manager position, only 87 women are included. Likewise, for women of colour at global levels, these statistics drip further- to 73.
This first promotion has a profound impact: it decides admittance to leadership positions, cross-functional responsibilities, and career evolution. Missing this ladder by women implies the pipeline shrinks instantly.
In India, this is an even bigger concern. In spite of growing female partaking in higher education and early-career roles, the drop-off by mid-career is sharp. The broken rung is therefore not a philosophy and theory here—it’s a routine workplace reality.
Performance vs. Potential: A Dual Standard
One of the starkest forms of leadership predisposition is the method of candidate evaluation. McKinsey findings demonstrates that men are frequently promoted based on potential, while women are required to validate performance on itinually.
In India, this gets tousled further in the web of expectations about availability and commitment by women. Maternity breaks, caretaking onuses, or even cultural expectations may become pretexts to view women as “risky” leadership bets. One Indian employee recounted being denied a promotion three years after returning from maternity leave because she “lacked continuity.” Not skill. Not results. Continuity.
Role of Sponsorship—or the Dearth of It
No doubt, mentorship enables women grow, sponsorship aids to rise. A sponsor not only advises; they are activist in the rooms where promotions occur. Regrettably, in Indian still chiefly male-dominated leadership edifice, sponsorship is often informal, relationship-based, and limited to inner circles. Consequently, talented women remain unseen and unpromoted.
Why This is Important: Leadership Gaps Arise at the Base
Organizations very often wring about the absence of senior women leaders. But if they are not vigorously tracking and modifying gender gaps at the managerial level, it is no astonishment that scarcer women make it to the top. The leadership conduit begins to seepage at the very first intersection. And what is shoddier- No expanse of board-level diversity hiring will unravel a problem engrained five levels underneath.
McKinsey estimations about closing gender gaps in Indian workforce could complement $770 billion to GDP by 2025 is truly alleged. That is the right economic strategy and not a mere inclusion.
What Must Transform
To overhaul the broken rung, Indian companies should:
- Trail first-level promotion rates based on gender, not a mere board or C-suite diversity.
- Endorse Performance evaluations as to be criteria-based and homogenous.
- Invest in sponsorship programs for high-performing women.
- Reshape leadership definitions to embrace traits like collaboration, empathy, and agility, which many women already demonstrate.
- Change must commence with policies and be reinforced with culture.
Final Thoughts: “Leadership Isn’t a Leap—It’s a Ladder. Let’s Build It.”
Women in India are not demanding any sort of windfall- they are looking forth to rather handrails. The essence of the problem is not dearth of ambition. It is the are expected to climb ladders starting mid-air.
To shape inclusive workplaces, the prerequisite is not mere posters and panel deliberations. It’s essential to lay down the rungs- especially the first one.
Leadership prejudices don’t attire a name tag; it pelts in ambiguous feedback, gut-feel decisions, and who’s invited to “quick chats” after meetings. The ladder remains broken and the climb stays unfair unless stairs are built!
Gallup Insight: When Leadership Predisposition Discards Engagement
Gallup’s State of the Global Workplace 2024 report shows a substantial fall in workplace motivation as global employee engagement dropped from 23% to 21%, and manager engagement fell from 30% to 27%- a stark indicator that managers play a pivotal role in shaping team culture and performance. According to Gallup, 70% of the discrepancy in team engagement is directly correlated to manager quality. This makes broken rung shoddier- when enterprising women are deprived of their first promotion into management. It is not merely a missed opportunity for them—it affects the motivation and effectiveness of the entire team.
As McKinsey articulates, this is “not a women’s issue—it’s a business issue.” And it must be addressed immediately.
References
-
- Books
- Gary Dessler & Biju Varkkey (2022). Human Resource Management, 16th Edition, Pearson Education India.
- Websites and Reports
- McKinsey & Company & LeanIn.org – Women in the Workplace 2023https://www.mckinsey.com/featured-insights/diversity-and-inclusion/women-in-the-workplace
- Forbes India – India’s Working Women Contend Strongest Gender Bias Across APAC Countries (2021)https://www.forbesindia.com/article/special/indias-working-women-contend-strongest-gender-bias-across-apac-countries/66833/1
- McKinsey Global Institute – The Power of Parity: Advancing Women’s Equality in India (2015)
- Gallup (2024). State of the Global Workplace Report 2024.https://www.gallup.com/workplace/349484/state-of-the-global-workplace.aspx
- Sociable (2024). Gallup Report Summary: Engagement and Managers.https://www.sociabble.com/blog/employee-engagement/gallup-state-global-workplace-report
