23% Of Salaried Women In India’s Metros Perceive A Gender Pay Gap

New Delhi: 23 percent of salaried women in India’s metros perceive a gender pay gap while 16 percent report gender bias at their workplace, a survey by CRISIL and DBS Bank India has found. Semi-affluent women, earning between Rs 10 to Rs 25 lakh annually, and affluent women, with salaries ranging from Rs 41 lakh to Rs 55 lakh per year, have varying perspectives on the gender pay gap.

DBS Bank India, in collaboration with CRISIL, that launched the second of three reports from its comprehensive study entitled 'Women and Finance' found some interesting aspects women in the workforce, including their professional aspirations, habits, and the barriers they face. The report is based on a survey of over 800 salaried and self-employed women across 10 cities in India and is designed to reveal the interplay between their professional aspirations and personal lifestyle preferences.

"While salary and career advancement ranked as the topmost factors when selecting a job for 69 percent of salaried women, 42 percent of self-employed women prioritised independence and flexible working hours. Interestingly, remote working is not a high priority among salaried women, with only 3  percent considering it essential," the study said.

The findings corroborate industry views on persistent gender disparities in the workplace, revealing that the perceived gender pay gap at a pan-India level stood at 23 percent among salaried women, while perceived gender bias stood at 16 percent. 

The study further found that affluent women reported a higher perception of the gender pay gap at 30 percent, while this stood at 18 percent among semi-affluent women. A similar trend was seen with the perception of gender bias at the workplace with 30 percent of affluent women asserting that they had experienced it, significantly higher than the 12 percent of women in the semi-affluent cohort who had perceived the same bias.

"42 percent of salaried women in metros face challenges while negotiating salaries. The experiences differ between the eastern and western parts of India. In Kolkata, 96 percentof salaried women do not face a challenge in negotiating their pay, while only 33 percent in Ahmedabad feel the same. Contrasting perspectives are also observed in southern India. In Chennai, 77 percent of women do not face challenges when negotiating salaries, compared to 41 percent in Hyderabad," the study added.

The study published couple of days ahead of the International Women's Day, also delved into the multifaceted lifestyle preferences of women and provides insights into their spending preferences and habits around health & wellness, dining, and leisure travel.