Gender equality isn’t just a nice-to-have; it’s a must-have! And companies have begun to understand it all too well. From breaking down the old boy’s club to smashing the glass ceiling, companies are taking action to ensure that gender equality prevails.
But despite the progress that has been made toward gender equality in the workplace, women remain significantly underrepresented in leadership positions. In fact, women make up only a fraction of top executives in the corporate world, with even fewer occupying C-suite roles such as CEO or CFO.
But why is this still the case in the 21st century? What exactly are the barriers, and what can we do to level the playing field and create a more equitable workforce?
In this episode, we'll discuss why fewer women are in top-level management and understand the problem with our guest speaker Pooja Bansal, Chief Human Resource Officer- Piaggio India.
Host of this Episode: Sanjeevani Saikia
Guest Bio
Pooja is a highly motivated and results-focused HR leader with over 19 years of experience in multinational corporations. She specializes in strategic leadership across all human resource functions, with a focus on talent pipelines, industrial relations, strategic HR management, and CSR. As CHRO of Piaggio India during the Covid-19 pandemic, Pooja successfully managed the highly volatile period, ensuring sustained continuity at the manufacturing facility. She has a gold medal in Psychology and completed her Certified Strategic CHRO executive learning journey from Wharton University. Pooja humanizes the employee experience, transforming it through personalization, talent development, and AI-powered enhancements. She is a seasoned OD practitioner and has led digital transformation initiatives at Piaggio India, replicated in Italy and Vietnam. Pooja works closely with top leadership on business transformation projects and is a courageous leader who spearheads restructurings to augment productivity for the business.
Connect with Pooja Bansal on Linkedin
Timestamps
(2:07) Pooja's corporate journey so far.
(3:30) Discussion on the fundamental problems behind fewer women in top-level management.
(6:09) Importance of work-life integration for women in the corporate world.
(9:10) Suggestions on how women can balance both their personal and professional life.
(11:10) Ways to approach networking and building relationships in the corporate world.
(16:03) Effective ways of self-promoting and personal branding for women.
(20:03) Unique strengths that women bring to leadership positions and how those strengths benefit organizations.
(24:24) How can companies provide equal opportunities and support for women to reach top-level management positions?
(32:30) How can men be effective allies and advocates for women in the corporate arena?
(37:02) The future of women in the corporate world and things that need to change in order to make better progress towards gender equity.
