'Critical that work environments are flexible': Akshima Ghate

The MD of RMI India, Akshima Ghate talks of the importance of flexibility in a workplace and how that shapes a woman’s career. “It becomes very critical that our work environments are flexible in terms of addressing the needs that anybody can have, why just women," she says at the Autocar Professional Women To Watch webinar.

"It's not really about just joining a team or joining a workforce. It is about, can I stay in that workforce, after 3 years after I choose to be a mother or I have to support the family in a different way," she adds. 

Talking of more women in the workplace, she also touches upon the aspects of she said safety at workplaces and safety in a mobility system. 

 "I strongly feel that gender shapes mobility and mobility shapes gender, and it has a critical role. How are we designing our automotive systems, and our mobility systems, to cater to the safety apprehensions and perceptions of women, that sit at home. How can we re-address this." This is important, she adds. 

Ghate is of the opinion that women need to lead by example, irrespective of gender. The way people are treated shows a lot about the way the message is passed on, not only to other teams but also homes. 

"It is very critical that leaders and managers embrace naturally and if not naturally, then by training, how we lead and show the way," she asserts. 

Role of women in tech 

Talking about her own experiences, biases are there in tech know-how, there are people around you who doubt your ability to give policy advice around technology, and it is not easy to address biases in a short period of time.

"There is a legacy with which we are coming, which has socio-cultural, economic roots in terms of how women have made their way out there." 

While things are changing, she says it will take a lot of time in terms of giving the due space and respect to women in terms of how they can contribute. Specifically, when it comes to technology, there is more work to be done. More women need to be seen as equal, and create that kind of ecosystem, be it in terms of government or employer policies, or how women founders can be at par with their male counterparts in the space. 

Having said that, she states that she has been fortunate and has had the opportunity of working with great partners in the ecosystem of government and policy think tanks with limited bias, and hence reiterates her earlier point of women leading by example.

In our sphere of influence as leaders and as managers, one critical thing we need to do despite our gender, is to lead by example. 

She concludes by saying that she would love to see more women in leadership positions and far more success stories out there. “It gives a lot of belief to women out there that if they have done it, we can also do it. So we need a lot of those success stories of women in leadership positions to inspire women.”

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