Best workplaces lead on women's inclusion, maternity support, pay transparency: Report

Great Places to Work, a US-based global authority and research institute dedicated to recognising and transforming workplaces, in its latest report ‘State of Inclusion: Where We Stand in 2025’, has found that a majority of the best workplaces actively promote women’s leadership by offering transparent promotion policies, empathetic managers, and open access to senior leaders.

The report talks about challenges women face post maternity, saying women returning to work after maternity often face emotional and logistical hurdles. “The most common challenge is the lack of flexible leave policies, making it difficult to manage childcare and professional responsibilities. Many feel unsupported during this transition, citing rigid work models and insufficient empathy from management.”

The top five challenges for women post maternity are leave constraints, maternity transition, lack of support, motherhood stress and attrition risk, the report finds.

Notably, recent data shows India is way ahead of its peers and even the U.S. in certain gender-related disclosures. According to Equileap, a global organisation that provides data on DEI, companies in Taiwan, India, and South Korea are setting the pace on gender pay gap transparency, leaving the U.S. behind. 

The report also talks about what supportive workplaces look like, saying such environments significantly ease the transition for women returning after maternity. “Many appreciate permanent WFH options, empathetic managers, and flexible schedules. Organisations that offer career re-entry programs, mental health support, and personalised onboarding help women feel valued and confident. These gestures not only reduce attrition but also foster loyalty and long-term engagement.”

India is among the countries where the right to equality is enshrined in the Constitution. There are laws like the Equal Remuneration (ER) Act 1976, which mandates equal pay to men and women for doing the same work or work of a similar nature. 

Talking about barriers for women in leadership, the report says women face multiple systemic and cultural barriers that hinder their advancement to leadership roles and that managerial support is inconsistent, and resource constraints add to the difficulty.  “These include limited growth opportunities, lack of representation in leadership, unclear promotion pathways, and gender-based biases. Many women feel excluded from decision-making and leadership pipelines, often describing the workplace as a “boy’s club.”

But what works well for women employees at the best workplaces? The report finds that the best workplaces actively promote women’s leadership by offering transparent promotion policies, empathetic managers, and open access to senior leaders. “They invest in growth programs and recognise diverse contributions. These environments foster trust, inclusion, and career advancement, enabling women to rise confidently into leadership roles without bias or barriers.”

It says the top 5 drivers of belonging in 2025 are management reliability, egalitarian treatment, facilities, absence of workplace politics, and fun at work. Also, the top five drivers for employees with disability are management reliability, facilities,  absence of workplace politics, walking the talk and recognition.

Over the last few years, large companies in India have sharpened their focus on gender diversity through mentoring programmes and women leadership training to improve the ratio in leadership roles. Legal support, such as decriminalising homosexuality, and conversations around LGBTQ+ have also mainstreamed talks around reducing gender bias.