Ritika Ahuja on why there are few women in automobile leadership

Ritika Jatin Ahuja, leads the merchandise & marketing section and is the COO of Big Boy Toyz, and is a powerhouse of leadership and efficiency.

But reaching this pedestal was not a walk in the park and here's why. Ritika, who was awarded Most Influential Leader of 2018, says, "The world is surely evolving and businesses are looking much more balanced in the aspects of gender these days but there are still some places where you won't find as many women as you would men and the automobile industry is one of them. Having reached such a high position in a highly male centered environment has been tough and it's time to break that glass wall that separates men and women centered businesses."

Here are some reasons that have pushed higher number of men than women in Automobile sector:

1. Women aren't presented with the same opportunities to gain the required skills for building up talent for technical or advancement positions.

They are usually given assignments that enable talent to learn various aspects of the company and industry, and to manage a budget or do forecasting.

2. Culture and expectations

Women in general are not given the chance to express their interest in certain fields which are automatically thought to attract male attention. While hiring or promoting, this prejudice veils leaders' judgment and often sends males up the ladder.

3. Women seen as unstable employees

To curb the efforts that a company would have to put in to take a woman as a leader, maternity leaves, sick leaves, or even domestic responsibility are seen as burdens to corporations.