A few weeks back WEI conducted a web based survey among its readers and followers for a real time feedback on Energy companies in India. Though the survey has been taken by a small size, around sixty, we have decided to publish the result of the survey today, the day when WEI website and Facebook page was launched.

  • All respondents are from energy sector. Majority belongs to mid-level and senior level. More than 80% thinks that extent of participation of women in Indian energy sector is low, 18% perceives it to be moderate. Almost 83% of respondents feels that gender issues are not addressed in their respective organization, whereas 17% feels that it is addressed sufficiently.
  • On the issue of management’s initiative to recruit more and more women, the response was varied. While 18% thinks it to be a negative definitively, 9% feels that their management encourages recruitment of women. Rest has no definite response and thinks it can be either way for the management.

  • 55% of the respondents says that there has been no special drive to hire women in their organisation, response of 18% to this was positive, rest remaining uncertain again.
  • Fairness in promotion while considering women employees is not there, feels 73% and 9% feels it is fair enough, with remaining 18% is unsure. But 100% of the respondents agrees that the performance evaluation process has not been revised to ensure gender equality or to promote progress of women in the organisation ladder.
  • There is no special incentive or drive to retain women employees either, says 91% of respondents.
  • Among women friendly programs of organisations, maternity leave (100%) tops the chart and child care leave (82%) is the second. Paternity leave and sabbatical is there in few cases but flexible hours or work from home, elder care programs are not there anywhere.
  • In the strategy front, gender diversity does not feature for any organisation that our survey respondents are from. Program or workshops held for creating awareness of equality and inclusiveness is also not there (91% – No, 9% – Not sure).
  • Half the respondents says that there is a women employee’s forum in their organisation and the other half says there is no women employee’s forum.
  • Only 9% thinks that gender equality is considered in training or important assignment.
  • Around 70% thinks that lack of internal policies is a hindrance for women in energy companies, whereas 30% thinks that existing policies are sufficient, problem lies in lack of proper execution of policy guidelines.
  • The hindrances in career progress of women in energy companies came out to be difficult site locations, lack of management initiatives, lack of women friendly programs
  • More than 90% respondents felt that more initiatives are to be taken by energy companies to engage retain and promote women power in energy sector. Around 55% feels that more women at board level of energy companies would help to attain gender diversity and equality, whereas 30% feels that women at board level would not make any difference, rest were unsure on either outcome.

  • Organisations, the respondents come from, do not have enough women representation at senior level, feels 91% and rest feels there is enough senior level women in their company.
  • In the question of flexible work program, 63% feels that there will be an improvement in number of participation of women in energy sector with such program. Around 55% feels that break in job provision for women would help to increase participation.
  • 28% feels that part time job opportunity in energy sector will not necessarily increase women participation in the sector, when 36% feels it will, rest remaining unsure of the result part time opportunity would yield.

Disclaimer: The opinions stated above are result of a survey from anonymous respondents, and not that of WEI and no fact findings of WEI is involved in these results.