Why women don't work

Shocking statistics as per census data, reported in Times of India (July 3, '14):

Nearly 160 million women in India, 88% of whom are of working age, just remain at home doing "household duties"!!

What a colossal shame! The newspaper also reports that this is partly due to social pressures, and partly the result of economic policies that have offered no opportunities for women.

Which means that even women who are willing and qualified to work are not employed because of lack of proper openings. So all the talk of equal opportunity and creating an all-inclusive workforce cannot be taken at face value.

While economic policies are certainly to blame for poor growth and dwindling employment opportunities, it is also true that corporate houses have obviously not made an effort to go the extra mile. Employing married women entails making certain adjustments and tweaking HR policies, which most organizations are unwilling to do. Who wants to ruffle feathers and seem biased towards women, when the status-quo can be maintained with the existing workforce?

Another failure of corporate India has been in creating free-lance or home-based work opportunities. Given a choice, most employable women would like to balance work and home life, and home-based work allows her this privilege. She can work at her own pace and according to her convenience. But while telecommuting is yet to take off properly even in pro-HR companies, free-lancing is still in its nascent stages. Barring a few professions like content writing, IT, and tutoring, free-lancing jobs are few and far between. Most home-based assignments are not backed by prompt compensation and repeated projects.

If India Inc wants the contribution of these talented but neglected women, it has to create conducive work opportunities and a supportive structure. Mere lip-service to equality won't suffice, you have to walk the talk!!