Demand for equal pay audits jumped from 19% to 27% YOY.
33% ladies see no pay parity at work.
83% really feel inspired to pursue management roles.
India – March 6, 2026 – Naukri has unveiled the second version of its annual Voices @ Work Worldwide Ladies’s Day report, “What Ladies Professionals Need,” chopping via the noise with insights from over 50,000 ladies throughout greater than 50 industries. The survey highlights shifting priorities, from hovering calls for for equal pay audits to persistent biases hindering progress, difficult organizations to step up for gender fairness.
Key callouts embrace a dramatic rise in requires equal pay audits, leaping from 19% to 27% year-over-year and tying with menstrual depart as the highest coverage ask; management encouragement leaping to 83% from 66%, signaling stronger ambitions particularly in southern metros; and eroding belief in pay parity, with 33% disagreeing-up from 25%-as gaps widen with profession development.
Key Insights
Surging Demand for Equal Pay Audits: Equal pay audits tie with menstrual depart at 27%, with demand spiking amongst high-earners-48% of these making 50L-1Cr prioritize it, as “the nearer ladies get to the highest, the extra they will see the hole.”
Rising Management Ambition Amid Encouragement: 83% really feel inspired to pursue management roles, up from 66%, with southern cities like Hyderabad (86%) main and industries akin to schooling (87%) empowering ladies most.
Hiring Bias and Hidden Private Plans: One in two ladies hesitate to share marriage or maternity plans in interviews on account of worry of bias (34%), intensifying with expertise from 29% amongst freshers to 40% for these with 10-15 years.
Persistent Bias as Prime Problem: 42% cite bias in hiring and promotions as the largest hurdle for various ladies, up 7 foundation factors YoY, constant throughout metros like Chennai (44%) and Delhi NCR (43%).
Sumeet Singh, Group CMO, Data Edgestated, “Behind each knowledge level on this report is a girl who’s bold. The truth that 83% really feel inspired to steer is one thing to rejoice. Nonetheless, the truth that one in two nonetheless conceal their marriage or maternity plans in interviews tells us the work is much from finished. As India’s main profession platform, it felt not simply essential however needed for us to shine a lightweight on these gaps via the second version of our report.”
