Best Workplaces 2025 Highlights Women's Leadership Growth

By: WE Staff | Thursday, 25 September 2025

• Great Places to Work published its 2025 report on workplace inclusion
• Best workplaces have women's leadership supported through definitive promotion policies, empathetic managers, and senior leader access
• Women returning to work after maternity leave tend to experience emotional and practical issues

Great Place to Work, an American global research consultancy dedicated to recognising and changing workplaces, in its recent report, 'State of Inclusion: Where We Stand in 2025', discovered that most of the best workplaces actively encourage women's leadership.

These companies have honest promotion policies, compassionate managers, and open doors to senior leaders, enabling women to confidently step up into leadership positions.

Most women viewed policies that were non-negotiable regarding workloads and supervisor attitudes as creating barriers to balance work and motherhood.

Policy changes most frequently perceived as helpful in supporting this transition were: permanent remote work, flexible working hours, re-entry programs, mental health services, and personalized onboarding.

Equileap reports that India, with Taiwan and South Korea, is one of the most active countries to publish gender pay transparency disclosures, even higher than the United States. The Constitution of India espouses gender equality, and laws like the Equal Remuneration Act 1976 ensure equal pay for equal work.  

Conversely, workplaces that perform at a high level understand inclusion as an opportunity for growth, honor the diversity of contributions, and foster a culture of safety, trust, and support. As a result, this diversity of workplaces can allow women to move upward into positions of leadership without obstruction or bias.

In 2025, management reliability, egalitarian treatment, facilities, absence of workplace politics, and positive work environment are the most significant drivers of sense of belonging at the workplace.

For employees with disabilities, management reliability, facilities, absence of workplace politics, consistency in action, and recognition are key drivers.

Large corporations in India have increased gender diversity by leveraging mentoring programs and leadership development for women, and social conversations and changes in legal provisions related to LGBTQ+ rights have helped mitigate gender bias and allow inclusive contemporary workplaces.