Women in Contractual Tech Jobs Encounter Career Advancement and Pay Parity Challenges

Women in India's tech contractual workforce have increased their presence to 27.98% in 2024, up from 9.51% in 2020, according to a report by TeamLease Digital. Despite this growth, significant challenges remain in career advancement and pay equality. The report highlights the need for sustained efforts to achieve true gender parity beyond just hiring more women.

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The report, titled "Gender Parity Shaping Workforce Equity," attributes the rise in women's participation to improvements in digital infrastructure, more remote work opportunities, and expanded Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives. However, these advancements have not fully addressed the lack of representation in leadership roles or the persistent gender pay gap.

Challenges in Career Progression

In the IT services sector, women's participation rose to 21.2% in 2024 from 7.8% in 2020. Yet, their representation in mid-level roles only increased to 8.93% from 4.13% over the same period. This indicates that women face significant barriers to advancing beyond entry-level positions.

The gender pay gap also remains a concern. At entry-level positions, women earn 6% less than their male counterparts. This disparity widens to 19% at mid-level roles but slightly decreases to 13% at senior levels.

Need for Structural Change

TeamLease Digital CEO Neeti Sharma emphasised that companies must create environments where women can not only enter but also grow and lead in their careers. "While we celebrate the growing presence of women in tech contractual roles, we must recognise that achieving true gender parity requires sustained efforts and a multi-faceted approach that transcends hiring more women," Sharma stated.

The report is based on a quantitative analysis of a proprietary dataset comprising 13,000 associates from TeamLease Digital's tech contractual workforce between 2020 and 2024. It underscores the need for long-term structural changes to address these ongoing challenges effectively.

As women's participation in tech continues to grow, addressing these issues is crucial for creating equitable workplaces where everyone has the opportunity to succeed and lead.