India's Women: Mid-Career Slump Baffles Corporates

Corporate India is grappling with a significant mid-career slowdown affecting women, a trend documented over the past decade. Women enter the workforce robustly and achieve early success, yet encounter barriers between their late twenties and early forties, leading to stalled promotions and diminished visibility. This pattern is not simply a matter of personal choice but reflects systemic issues where organizational structures, prioritizing tenure and constant availability, clash with women's life transitions like caregiving.

Systemic challenges are compounded by "time poverty," as Indian women shoulder a greater share of unpaid domestic work. Upon returning from breaks, women face biases, mentorship gaps, and exclusion from high-visibility projects. These factors contribute to a confidence gap and higher attrition rates. To address this, a focus on skill-based learning and adaptability is proposed, which rewards proficiency over uninterrupted tenure and re-equips women with crucial competencies.