Quitters by Force or by Choice?

Why do Indian Women Quit the Workforce

Every morning when the alarm rings at 5, she is the first one to get up from bed. A sleeping child by her side, she is extra cautious not to wake him up. Tiptoeing out of the room, she starts preparing for the day. While her family is catching up on those last few precious moments of sleep, she finishes her morning chores which include making sure that the entire family has a healthy breakfast to start their day with. Once she is ready herself, it is time for her to wake the others up, make her child ready for school, and leave home to reach her workplace on time.

For a working woman in India, this story unfolds every work day of the year. Her economic status may change the narrative a bit with some support pouring in from her domestic help. However, the domestic help is herself part of the same broader narrative.?

A perpetual struggle to balance the professional and the personal?

Even at a time when women have made their mark across industries, domestic and care work still fall primarily under their domain. These are not only socially imposed but also an internalized bias when it comes to Indian women. An experiment conducted on an Indian Matrimony site with fake profiles of women who were career-oriented and women open to giving up careers after marriage revealed that women who were more career-oriented received close to 20-28 percent fewer marriage proposals vs women who were open to leaving work after marriage.

The societal expectation for women to shoulder the majority of caregiving responsibilities often clashes with the demands of a full-time career, leading many to opt for a hiatus or reduced working hours.

Pervasive Stereotypes and Bias - From subtle prejudices to overt discrimination?

As if the tightrope walk between personal and professional is not enough, she is faced with a lingering feeling of being “incompetent” at work. Imposter Syndrome is real. A KPMG study found that 75% of female executives across industries have experienced imposter syndrome in their careers. Societal forces and gender stereotypes only reinforce those negative self-beliefs. Gender biases infiltrate various aspects of society, creating challenges for women to have confidence in their capabilities. Whether it is the disproportionate scrutiny of women based on their looks, unfounded claims of their emotional incapacity for leadership roles, or misguided beliefs regarding men's supposed superiority in fields like math, science, or cognitive reasoning, women continue to exist in a profoundly unequal environment. As they face professional setbacks, both minor and significant, it is unsurprising that they begin to doubt their potential for success.

Persistent disparity in earnings - Gender Pay Gap

As per ILO’s Global Wage 2022-23 Report , the gender pay gap remains high across countries, regions, and industries. Despite increased awareness and advocacy, women are paid, on average, 20 percent less than men, and this seems to persist. Unequal compensation undermines a woman's financial independence and erodes motivation and job satisfaction. This discrepancy in earnings can act as a deterrent, prompting women to reconsider their commitment to a career that does not reflect their true worth.

While the Periodic Labour Force Survey Report 2022-23 , demonstrates an increase in the Female Labour Force Participation Rate (FLFPR) to 37.0 percent in 2023, addressing the issue of women leaving the workforce will still require a multifaceted approach. Companies must foster inclusive cultures, implement flexible policies, and actively work to eliminate gender bias. Societal norms and expectations around caregiving roles must evolve, and efforts to close the gender pay gap must be intensified. Only through a concerted effort to dismantle these barriers can we hope to create an equitable and sustainable workforce where women can thrive and contribute to their fullest potential.

Until that happens, the working woman of India will continue to return to her home after a difficult day at work only to meet a cranky child and a family that is awaiting to hand over to her the last chores of the day. But she will not quit, not today for sure!

Now over to you. If you are a working woman, what are the challenges you face in balancing work and home and how do you overcome those challenges? Add your thoughts in the comment section below. You never know, your tips may help someone from quitting !