From Pause to Progress: A Study on Women’s Workforce Reintegration in Pune’s IT Sector

Abstract

Information technology in India is encountering a significant challenge with workforce reintegration, particularly for women who opt to leave the industry to attend to familial obligations. This study aims to examine the discrimination faced by women in the Indian IT sector, particularly with their reintegration into the profession. Utilising a mixed-methods approach, the study has uncovered a 49% callback penalty for women in the Indian IT sector, with significant heterogeneity across organisational contexts (0% in large enterprises, 57% in small firms) and geographical regions (62% in North India, 10% in South India). The study has also looked at how well structured return-to-work programs perform. These programs have been successful in keeping 71% of participants, compared to 48% in other settings, and they have also increased job satisfaction from 35% to 60%. On the other hand, the study showed that upskilling certifications don't do much to reduce discrimination. There was a 10% penalty, but this wasn't statistically significant (p = 0.24), which means that discrimination isn't mostly caused by skill obsolescence, but by how committed someone seems to be. Imposter syndrome has been recognised as a considerable psychological barrier for women in the IT sector, with a prevalence rate of  63%.This study corroborates the taste-based discrimination theory, and the lack of prejudice in major enterprises underscores the notion that diversity infrastructure alleviates discrimination. This study has crucial consequences for businesses and governments because it has shown that 7 million women in India could benefit from psychological assistance at work, which is just as vital as skill development.