Women in HR Roles: Perceptions of Corporate Managers in India

Abstract

In a male-chauvinistic Indian society, women have struggled hard to get into main workforce of the corporate sector. Only in the recent past, percentage of women joining corporate sector in managerial positions has increased. It is necessary to know how effectively they are functioning and how they are perceived by their male and female colleagues in terms of managerial effectiveness. This paper attempts to portray how managers in Indian corporate sector perceive women colleagues in terms of managerial effectiveness. It highlights some important findings of a research study, conducted during the period 2010-2013. The findings are based on data collected from 1260 sample respondents from 60 companies in India who responded to a structured questionnaire and in-depth-interviews with 30 senior corporate executives. The study explores the perceptions of both male and female respondents on effectiveness of women in managerial roles, in general, and in human resource functions, in particular. There is a feeling among corporate managers that gender has impacts on managerial effectiveness. But the responses are divided to establish whether women are better than men in Human Resource roles or not. Though men are preferred by many as managerial gender for leadership, strategic decision making, negotiation, handling risks and challenges, women are found to be more effective in human resource functions.