Despite rising leadership aspirations among women professionals, concerns around pay parity and workplace bias remain deeply entrenched in India Inc., according to a new survey by Naukri.

The second edition of the platform’s annual Voices @ Work – What Women Professionals Want report, released ahead of International Women’s Day, surveyed over 50,000 women across more than 50 industries. The findings point to a growing demand for pay transparency and equitable workplace policies, even as women report greater encouragement to take on leadership roles.

One of the most striking findings is that 34% of women professionals say they do not see pay parity at their workplace, up from 25% last year, indicating declining confidence in compensation fairness as careers progress.

At the same time, workplace bias continues to shape hiring behaviour. The report shows that one in two women avoid disclosing their marriage or maternity plans during job interviews, fearing it may affect hiring decisions. Around 34% specifically cited bias as the reason for withholding such information.

Pay transparency takes centre stage

Demand for equal pay audits has surged sharply over the past year. The share of women calling for such audits rose from 19% in 2025 to 27% in 2026, tying with menstrual leave as the most sought-after workplace policy.

The demand is particularly pronounced among high-income professionals. Nearly 48% of women earning between ₹50 lakh and ₹1 crore annually prioritised equal pay audits, suggesting that pay disparities become more visible at senior levels of corporate leadership.

Leadership ambitions rise

Even as concerns about equity persist, the survey found that 83% of women feel encouraged to pursue leadership roles, up from 66% last year, signalling rising aspirations and growing organisational support.

The trend is particularly visible in southern metros. Hyderabad reported the highest levels of leadership encouragement at 86%, while the education sector emerged as the most supportive industry, with 87% of women reporting encouragement to take on leadership roles.

However, these gains coexist with persistent structural barriers.

Bias remains the biggest hurdle

According to the report, 42% of women identified bias in hiring and promotions as the biggest challenge in their careers, up seven basis points year-on-year. The perception is consistent across major metros, including Chennai (44%) and Delhi NCR (43%).

The data also shows that concerns about bias grow with experience. While 29% of freshers hesitate to discuss marriage or maternity plans, the share rises to 40% among women with 10–15 years of work experience.

“Behind every data point in this report is a woman who is ambitious,” said Sumeet Singh, group CMO at Info Edge.

“The fact that 83% feel encouraged to lead is something to celebrate. However, the fact that one in two still hide their marriage or maternity plans in interviews tells us the work is far from done,” Singh said.

As corporate India intensifies its focus on diversity and inclusion, the report highlights a widening gap between policy intent and on-ground experience. For companies competing to attract and retain women talent, the findings underline the need for greater transparency in compensation, stronger anti-bias frameworks, and workplace policies that address the realities of women’s careers.