‘We need to hire and retain more women, build a pipeline of future women leaders’ Premium

Saraswathi Kasturirangan, Chief Happiness Officer at Deloitte India, speaks to The Hindu about the importance that should be given to women’s mental health and the need to build a pipeline of future women leaders.

Global professional services firm Deloitte recently released its fourth edition of ‘Women @ Work: A Global Outlook’ report. Drafted after surveying 5,000 women from organisations across 10 countries, the report documents lived experiences of women and sheds light on issues around health, safety and rights. Some of the findings are alarming.

Half the respondents across the globe describe their stress levels as higher than a year ago. About 40% of women who experience high levels of pain due to menstruation or menopause work through it without taking time off. In India too, the numbers are similar. Only 10% of women in India believe their organisation is taking concrete steps to fulfil its commitment to gender diversity. 46% are concerned about their safety when at work or while travelling to/from or for work.

Saraswathi Kasturirangan, Chief Happiness Officer at Deloitte India, speaks to The Hindu about the pressure women experience to balance work and family, the importance that should be given to women’s mental health and the need to build a pipeline of future women leaders.