Indian Women hold only 19% of C-Suite Roles finds New Avatar Report

By: WE Staff | Monday, 27 January 2025

• Indian Women C-Suite leaders are below the Global Average of 30%
• 60% of Women cite Work-life balance as a Major Challenge
• 44% of Women say Gender Bias in Hiring & Promotion remains a Challenge

According to a recent study by workplace culture consulting firm Avatar, women in India only occupy 19 per cent of C-suite roles, below the global average of 30 per cent. Work-life balance is a major challenge, with 60 percent citing it. Gender bias in hiring and promotion is also a significant barrier. Systemic changes are needed to support women's leadership advancement.

The pandemic has led to a rise in senior leadership attrition, with a 10 per cent increase in 2020. Despite a slight recovery in 2022, the rate remains above pre-pandemic levels. Gender bias in hiring and promotion remains a challenge, with 44 per cent of respondents citing this issue.

Leveraging data and AI can help reduce gender bias and create more equitable opportunities for women in leadership roles. However, 41 per cent of respondents believe organizational culture needs improvement and the shortage of qualified candidates is a significant barrier to achieving gender diversity.

Founder-President of Avtar group, Saundarya Rajesh mentioned "Our research reveals that multiple factors continue to limit the advancement of women to the C-suite. Given the systemic barriers that affect women in India more acutely, an effective approach to bridge the gender gap is through targeted diversity-driven executive searches. These searches offer customized and comprehensive strategies to ensure an equitable recruitment and advancement process."