Creating a space for self in the world of opportunities might feel easy to onlookers. One would only know its struggle if they have been through hardship to reach that passionate goal. Everyone will have that one story to tell— about the midnight oils burnt— for becoming what they are today. There is one thing that each one of them pursued knowingly or unknowingly—career intentionality.
Women or people who have achieved or excelled well in their careers might not be aware they have been intentional. According to the LFPR (Labour Force Participation Rate) data, India today has only achieved 22.5% of women’s participation in the workforce. One can point fingers at the derailers of women’s careers like culture, patriarchy, familial responsibilities, etc. The factors are not only social and economic barriers but also a lack of individual contribution or the effective pursuance of career and career aspirations.
Not as intentional
In 2015, a research study conducted by Avtar analyzed the career intentionality of men and women, exploring attitudes, aspirations, and intentions. Back then, 27% of the entry-level Indian workforce was women, among which only 5% of senior executives in India were women, as against a global average of 20%. And the report speaks the hard truth that men are more intentional than women. Be it personal commitments or professional skill inadequacy– women are in the pits of gender conundrums.
Of course, women put in the same effort as men for their education, career, and career progression, and the positions they have reached as a result of those humble efforts. But the question is – is it enough? Have they reached their fullest potential? If the answer is no, it’s time organizations pick up the slack and ensure no more talent drain happens from the pipeline.
Intentionality is considered an investment by research conglomerate McKinsey. According to one of their prominent reports, the intentional pursuit of learning is an investment that one makes for their career. What is the role of organizations in enabling these talented women to pursue their career goals, and why is it required? As women employees break their careers in the early and mid stages for many reasons, the loss is not only for the employees but also for the organizations. The cost of losing an employee is big for organizations in terms of time, money, and people’s efforts. Studies report that every time a business replaces a salaried employee, it costs 6-9 months’ salary, on average. Although invisible, the diversity fact checks will also reveal collateral loss when a woman leaves her job.
Organization action points
Organizations must invest in their employees’ career growth for mutual benefit. Conducting developmental programs and skill-building training sessions should not become tokenism. A symbolic gesture or effort will only have an hour or two of life and impact. Organizations must first build awareness about the importance of intentionality and how it can positively nurture the career of employees, further helping in personal, social, and economic growth. As such, it would be useful to note that companies with strong people-intentional strategies are deliberate in providing the right opportunities to people, following the coherent path of educating them on the purpose and significance of intentionality.
Organizations can also seek the support of SMEs or subject matter experts to conduct effective training programs on particular skills necessary for continuous improvement. Intentional Career Pathing for Women is one such innovative training intervention, a flagship product of Avtar for training mid-career women professionals in India. Intending to make them career-focused, the training program helps women professionals climb the ladder of their professional journey seamlessly.
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