Indian women more confident of asking pay raise, but received less: Report

NEW DELHI: Indian women are leading the charge for pay equity more than their global counterparts, but receive less than expected, a report showed, highlighting gender pay parity.

The global report by global hiring and matching platform Indeed, which comes ahead of International Women’s Day, is based on a survey of 14,677 women employed either full-time or part-time across 11 countries, including 1,193 women from India.

Providing an overview of the experiences and perspectives of women in the global workforce, the report showed that despite progress, more than 50 per cent of women who requested a raise globally received less than they had hoped for.

This includes 56 per cent women in India who sought raises but received less than expected, signalling persistent challenges in attaining equitable compensation within the country’s job market.

About 53 per cent of women in India were also found confident in asking for a raise -- higher than the global average of 30 per cent. In fact, 65 per cent Indian women sought a raise -- the highest percentage compared to any other country.

Nine in ten Indian women (90 per cent) identified pay as an important aspect of their jobs, the highest percentage of all 11 countries (global average 82 per cent).

"Creating an environment where all women feel empowered to negotiate, thrive, and achieve balance is not only ethical, but also the key to unlocking innovation and organisational success on a global scale. The confidence of Indian women in pursuing their worth is truly remarkable, and it's high time we fostered similar environments worldwide,” said Nishita Lalvani, Marketing Director, Indeed India & SG, in a statement.

“While it is motivating to see Indian women leading the charge globally, there are still many challenges that stand in the way of women landing equitable opportunities. At work and outside of work the importance is to create a world where every woman can confidently pursue her dreams and aspirations, irrespective of cultural differences,” she added.

Further, the report showed that globally women perceive a glaring gender pay gap at the national level, Indian women express notably higher satisfaction within their organisational and sectoral realms because of societal, cultural, and economic factors.

Indian women also believe regular compensation reviews (39 per cent), workplace flexibility (39 per cent), and gender pay/salary audits (37 per cent) are major ways that may help close the gender pay gap, the report said.