Corporate India, broadly speaking, has a rigid hierarchy where the decisions of a single working woman are often questioned more than those of her counterparts, who are male and married, female and married, and also male and unmarried. These questions can range from his reluctance to work long hours or log in on weekends, or even his need to leave the office early. Her leadership and multi-tasking abilities are often disproportionately questioned not only by the male-dominated corporate structure, but also by her closest colleagues in the office.
“There have been days when my life choices were questioned. This investigation included why I am not getting married and what are my future plans. When a team has to move, people with children leave sooner because they are perceived to have more responsibilities than some of us singles,” said a senior HR executive at a leading retail company in India.
This type of investigation is done not only from men in the office, but also from women. The retail chain HR executive pointed out that during the Covid pandemic, married people in his firm were allowed far more flexibility in working hours than their peers. “I was asked many times if I could replace him as I didn’t have much responsibility. What if I want to take some time off and read a book? I am responsible to myself and hence the need for a short period of leave cannot exceed the time spent on raising a family.”
The concept of ‘me time’ and its importance may be poorly appreciated and seen as a reward for married people in the workplace, but an excuse for the unmarried.
An article in The Washington Post, titled ‘These single women say they also face punishment in the workplace’, detailed a study to look at how marital status can affect workplace prejudice. A research study examined the career trajectories of two groups of MBA graduates from the same business school program. “Again, single women with noted analytical skills were penalized the most in terms of advancement into leadership positions,” reports the article.
“I was told that I needed to hone my leadership and multi-tasking qualities, and, unlike the other women on my team, I had not experienced raising a family and juggling multiple roles. So, I prepared Wasn’t,” said another senior executive working with one of the country’s largest business houses. He is in his forties and unmarried.
There was also no attempt to ascertain whether he had other family responsibilities, according to the executive, noting that this was a necessary criterion for leading a team. Ironically, the small but growing subgroup of women in the Indian workforce who are single are judged by both male and female colleagues at work.
A young financial analyst in her early thirties said she was struck by how colleagues were treating her returning from maternity leave. Most of the women in the office take the new mother in their lap. A wide space was also given to those who are getting married because they were said or thought to be undergoing adjustment to their new home, but no space was created for such women. who did not need such accommodation. The financial analyst said, “I have been made to feel that I have not taken a different route, but have missed important and necessary milestones that act like rites of passage for my work my way up the corporate ladder.”
While men who have not opted for married life face their own challenges, the ‘boys’ club’ that holds sway in many corporate settings has its own challenges with office-hour bondage common among co-workers. Let’s take care “We don’t even have that option. Ethical standards are laid thick and close for us,” said the HR executive in retail. She doesn’t dance on the floor much, even when the music is good, and she has There is a select group of people with whom she occasionally goes out for a smoke.
Given a complex matrix of prejudices that society is taking too long to past and discard, labeling comes faster and quicker for single lots, and they usually have to tip-toe around gender-based social norms. . Single working women also find that they must be very careful about the privacy of their lives, as a casual coffee spot with someone can quickly turn into water-cooler gossip.
Single working women represent a growing force in urban work spaces, not as extensively documented as young mothers or married women, who are often forced out of India Inc. Not being married does not mean that the struggle for promotion and the stress of juggling home and office responsibilities is less. These and other work challenges are as real and difficult as they are for any woman. Yet, they take their time for granted and action often finds itself under scrutiny. The workplace needs a part of his life where only his work matters. Without paying any penalty for personal life choices.
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