Money Mirage: Women in India Believe They Earn the Same Salary as Men
Mumbai:
Our Bureau
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Nearly 61% of Indian women are confident they earn at least the same salary as a man doing the same work, according to the India findings of a poll across G-20 countries by the Thomson Reuters Foundation supported by the Rockefeller Foundation.The perception that they earn the same as their male peers — and one they share with their counterparts in Saudi Arabia — seems particularly out of sync with reality in the light of World Economic Forum data. That shows that these two countries came in last in the G20 on a female-tomale ratio on earned income.
Misplaced perceptions aren’t the only issue. Women in India are among those facing the greatest workplace inequities but least likely to speak out.
Surprisingly — and in sharp contrast — Indian women are the most likely to speak out against harassment at work, an issue faced by one-third of women in G20 countries, and suffered in silence by most. Where 27% of Indian women said they had been harassed at work; of those harassed, 53% said they would always or most of the time report it.
The above are among the India-specific findings of a global poll that assesses the top five issues faced by women working across the G20 countries. The survey comes at a time when statistics show evidence that economies benefit when more women work, with a direct impact on life prospects for children.
According to the findings, the top five issues of concern for women across G20 countries are: work-life balance, harassment, equal pay, equal career opportunities and ma ternity impact on career prospects. More than 9,500 women were polled by independent polling agency Ipsos-Mori to offer insights into the way women feel and how they fare in the workplace.
In line with global findings, women in India — along with their counterparts in Russia, South Korea, China and Japan — rated work-life balance as the most challenging issue they faced in the workplace. Nearly 57% Indian women said it was their biggest concern. The second biggest worry for Indian women was flexible working, flagged by 42% of women.
Women in the country were also upbeat about having the same access to business networks as men with 53% agreeing they had. However, 40% felt that men had better access to jobs. 61% Indian women feel they can have a family without damaging their career.
Indian women being so vocal about speaking out against harassment was related to the aftermath of the Nirbhaya incident following which a blitz in media coverage highlighted the poor treatment of women, Thomson Reuters Foundation CEO Monique Villa told ET. “Five years ago, most women would not have spoken up. It shows how perceptions can change very quickly,” said Villa.
Overall, the global poll also threw light on other positive trends. Women, particularly millennials, are more upbeat when it comes to their role in the workplace. More younger women feel they can have children without damaging their career and more are confident they have the same chance of success as men in starting their own business. said it was their biggest concern. The second biggest worry for Indian women was flexible working, flagged by 42% of women.
Women in the country were also upbeat about having the same access to business networks as men with 53% agreeing they had. However, 40% felt that men had better access to jobs. 61% Indian women feel they can have a family without damaging their career.
Indian women being so vocal about speaking out against harassment was related to the aftermath of the Nirbhaya incident following which a blitz in media coverage highlighted the poor treatment of women, Thomson Reuters Foundation CEO Monique Villa told ET. “Five years ago, most women would not have spoken up. It shows how perceptions can change very quickly,“ said Villa.
Overall, the global poll also threw light on other positive trends. Women, particularly millennials, are more upbeat when it comes to their role in the workplace. More younger women feel they can have children without damaging their career and more are confident they have the same chance of success as men in starting their own business.
Misplaced perceptions aren’t the only issue. Women in India are among those facing the greatest workplace inequities but least likely to speak out.
Surprisingly — and in sharp contrast — Indian women are the most likely to speak out against harassment at work, an issue faced by one-third of women in G20 countries, and suffered in silence by most. Where 27% of Indian women said they had been harassed at work; of those harassed, 53% said they would always or most of the time report it.
The above are among the India-specific findings of a global poll that assesses the top five issues faced by women working across the G20 countries. The survey comes at a time when statistics show evidence that economies benefit when more women work, with a direct impact on life prospects for children.
According to the findings, the top five issues of concern for women across G20 countries are: work-life balance, harassment, equal pay, equal career opportunities and ma ternity impact on career prospects. More than 9,500 women were polled by independent polling agency Ipsos-Mori to offer insights into the way women feel and how they fare in the workplace.
In line with global findings, women in India — along with their counterparts in Russia, South Korea, China and Japan — rated work-life balance as the most challenging issue they faced in the workplace. Nearly 57% Indian women said it was their biggest concern. The second biggest worry for Indian women was flexible working, flagged by 42% of women.
Women in the country were also upbeat about having the same access to business networks as men with 53% agreeing they had. However, 40% felt that men had better access to jobs. 61% Indian women feel they can have a family without damaging their career.
Indian women being so vocal about speaking out against harassment was related to the aftermath of the Nirbhaya incident following which a blitz in media coverage highlighted the poor treatment of women, Thomson Reuters Foundation CEO Monique Villa told ET. “Five years ago, most women would not have spoken up. It shows how perceptions can change very quickly,” said Villa.
Overall, the global poll also threw light on other positive trends. Women, particularly millennials, are more upbeat when it comes to their role in the workplace. More younger women feel they can have children without damaging their career and more are confident they have the same chance of success as men in starting their own business. said it was their biggest concern. The second biggest worry for Indian women was flexible working, flagged by 42% of women.
Women in the country were also upbeat about having the same access to business networks as men with 53% agreeing they had. However, 40% felt that men had better access to jobs. 61% Indian women feel they can have a family without damaging their career.
Indian women being so vocal about speaking out against harassment was related to the aftermath of the Nirbhaya incident following which a blitz in media coverage highlighted the poor treatment of women, Thomson Reuters Foundation CEO Monique Villa told ET. “Five years ago, most women would not have spoken up. It shows how perceptions can change very quickly,“ said Villa.
Overall, the global poll also threw light on other positive trends. Women, particularly millennials, are more upbeat when it comes to their role in the workplace. More younger women feel they can have children without damaging their career and more are confident they have the same chance of success as men in starting their own business.
Source: Economic Times, 13-10-2015
