Empowering Through Adversity: A Journey of HR Leadership and Gender Equality

A distinguished HR leader with over two decades of experience, she has not only transformed organizations through strategic innovation but also championed gender equality in every aspect of her career. From spearheading agile change management to nurturing talent through career and succession planning, her focus on organizational growth has created lasting impact. A veteran of the Kargil and Operation Parakram wars, her resilience in crisis management is matched by her unwavering passion for women’s empowerment. In a career filled with accolades, her greatest achievement remains her commitment to advancing opportunities for women and leading the charge for gender equality in the corporate world and beyond.

Q No 1. what inspired you to pursue a leadership role?

Dimple Rawat : "My inspiration to pursue a leadership role stems from my time  in the defence forces, where I learned the true meaning of responsibility, discipline, and the power of leading by example. Serving in the defence, I had the privilege of leading a team in high-pressure situations, where every decision could impact lives. This experience taught me the value of strategic thinking, resilience, and the importance of fostering a strong, cohesive team.

Transitioning into the corporate world, I realized that these leadership principles are just as significant as were  in the defence. Leadership, for me, is about empowering others, driving change, and making a meaningful impact, whether in uniform or in business and truly the authentic one.

Q.No 2. What inspired you to become an advocate for gender equality in your field?

Dimple Rawat :"It all started at home. I am one of three sisters, born between 1974 and the 1980s. Back then, having three daughters and no son was often seen as a significant challenge. However, we were fortunate enough to be raised as individuals, not merely as girls.

Through my experiences, I’ve witnessed the challenges that women face and the immense value that diverse perspectives bring to any organization. I firmly believe that everyone deserves an equal opportunity to succeed. By promoting gender equality, we can foster stronger, more innovative teams. My dedication to this cause stems from a deep desire to create inclusive environments where everyone has the opportunity to thrive."

Q.No 3. Can you share an experience where you felt gender bias and how you dealt with it?

Dimple Rawat :"Honestly, I am privileged to say that I have always received the right guidance and wisdom, which has helped me navigate my career successfully both in the Airforce as well in corporate. Reflecting back, it all began at home, where my sisters and I performed the last rites of our mother. We never experienced gender bias, and these experiences shaped us into strong and courageous individuals."

Q No 4. As a leader what steps have you taken to promote gender equality in your organisation?

Dimple Rawat :Conducting Campus Drives for Women Hiring: Initiated targeted recruitment efforts through campus drives focused on increasing the representation of women in the organization.

Creating an Inclusive Culture: Fostered a workplace environment where diversity is celebrated, and everyone feels valued and respected, regardless of gender.

Ensuring Equal Opportunities: Implemented transparent policies to guarantee equal access to career development, promotions, and leadership roles for all employees.

Sensitizing People on Gender Diversity: Organized workshops and training sessions to educate employees about the importance of gender diversity and the benefits it brings to the organization.

Addressing Gender Bias: Took proactive steps to identify and eliminate gender bias in all aspects of the workplace, ensuring fairness in decision-making and daily operations.

Q.No 5. What policies steps your org has taken to encourage gender equality ?

Dimple Rawat :"In our organization, every individual is a promoter of gender equality. We are deeply committed to diversity and inclusion and have established a formal program to support these values.

We have an inclusive work council group with representation from various global regions, led by a member of our top leadership. Our policies include provisions for the Prevention of Sexual Harassment (POSH), and we conduct regular awareness sessions on this topic. We offer flexible work options and a creche facility for employees’ children. Additionally, we provide paternity leave for male employees, allowing them to care for their newborn and spouse.

We are dedicated to fostering an inclusive culture by developing and promoting diversity and inclusion initiatives that celebrate and support a wide range of identities and experiences. Our senior leadership is actively involved in supporting and modelling gender equality initiatives within the company."

Q.No 6. How do you measure the success of gender equality initiaitves in your workplace?

Dimple Rawat :"I measure the success of gender equality initiatives in the workplace through a combination of quantitative and qualitative metrics:

1. Representation and Recruitment Data: I track the gender diversity in hiring, promotions, and leadership roles to ensure balanced representation across all levels of the organization.

3. Retention and Advancement Rates: Monitoring the retention rates of women and other underrepresented groups, as well as their advancement within the company, provides insight into the effectiveness of our initiatives.

4. Participation in Programs: Evaluating the participation rates in mentorship programs, diversity workshops, and leadership training helps gauge the engagement and impact of these initiatives.

By consistently monitoring these areas, I can assess the progress of our gender equality efforts and make data-driven adjustments to enhance their effectiveness."

Q.No 7. What are the biggest challenges you have encountered in gender equality and how you over came them ?

Dimple Rawat : While I don't experience these challenges personally, I can outline some of the significant obstacles and common strategies to address them based on research and observations. Unconscious biases ,  Deep-seated cultural and societal norms often perpetuate gender biases. These can be overcome by  education and awareness campaigns that challenge stereotypes and promote gender equity from a young age. Women and other marginalized genders are often underrepresented in leadership roles. To combat this, organizations can implement policies that promote diversity and inclusion, such as mentorship programs, targeted recruitment, and leadership training for women. Legal and Policy Frameworks are paramount to combat the gender equality.

In addressing these challenges, collaboration between governments, organizations, communities, and individuals is very important . By combining efforts in advocacy, policy reform, and education, it's possible to make significant strides toward gender equality.

Q.No 8. What role mentorship plays in gender equality ? what role you play in this ?

Dimple Rawat :"Mentorship plays a crucial role in fostering gender equality. It offers support, guidance, and opportunities for individuals who may lack confidence in their personal and professional development. A mentor significantly helps mentees build self-confidence by providing continuous feedback, encouragement, and motivation to acquire new skills and knowledge.

Mentors also assist mentees in identifying and overcoming obstacles specific to their gender or other aspects of their identity. By exposing mentees to different roles and responsibilities, mentors increase their chances of career advancement.

In our organization, we have initiated two programs specifically for women. The first is a monthly session featuring an external woman from any sphere of life who inspires all women by speaking on a subject and sharing her own stories of success, struggle, and failures. The second initiative is a women mentorship program, where we have selected 20 mentors and formally trained them through a specialized training program. This program has proven to be mutually beneficial for both mentors and mentees.

By leveraging mentorship as a tool for empowerment and development, organizations can make significant strides toward achieving gender equality and creating a more inclusive workplace."

Q.No 9. How do you believe achieving gender equality will impact business?

Dimple Rawat : Achieving gender diversity will definitely impact business positively. It will enhance creativity and innovation at the workplace as almost all researchers have also proved that the Diverse Perspectives fosters a more inclusive environment, leading to a richer array of ideas and solutions. Studies have shown that gender-diverse teams tend to perform better. A balanced representation can lead to more effective decision-making and improved financial performance , reduces attrition, enhance performance by increasing efficiency and effectiveness at workplace. Gender equality also promotes improved company culture where employees are more happy and satisfied.

Q.No 10. Advise to women who wants to reach leadership positions?

Dimple Rawat :'Believe in yourself' is the most important thing which I have followed. Be very professional, disciplined  and committed to your work. One should have short term and long-term goals.

Be a lifelong student and keep learning and reinventing yourself. Embrace your strengths and work on the weaknesses.

Take risk to grow and ensure you are continuously growing. As you grow, everything around you will grow, be it your family, your team even your organization.

Q.No 11. vision of gender equality in your industry? What steps should be taken to speed this up ?

Dimple Rawat :The future/ journey of gender equality is work in progress which will continue to evolve with time.

It will be  driven by both policy and cultural change. Future looks like where we are likely to see more diverse representation in various sectors. This includes not just women, but also non-binary and transgender individuals. Efforts will continue to close the pay gaps and ensuring equal opportunities at workplace. More awareness will be created through education. Steps which will be needed will be from all spheres like Governments need to pass and enforce laws that promote gender equality, such as equal pay legislation, anti-discrimination laws. We also need a culture change in terms of societal attitude towards gender roles and expectation. Comprehensive education on gender issues should be integrated into school curricula and professional training programs. Companies need to provide a robust eco system supporting women employees to thrive at workplace.

The path to gender equality is complex and requires a multifaceted approach, but with concerted effort across these areas, progress can continue to be made.

Shared by Sqn Ldr Dimple Rawat(Retd)

Published By She Business Time