[ASW Series] Understanding Mindsets of Startup Employees: Women in startups

Part 3: Women in startups

We followed up our first article in the ASW series on joining motivators for startup employees with our insights on what employees find most important while working at a startup. In this set of findings from YourStory’s recently concluded Awesome Startup Workplaces (ASW) Awards, we are dedicating some time to understand a very important and growing demographic – women in startups.

28% of the 3,000+ respondents in the ASW survey were women, which is slightly lower than NASSCOM’s estimate of 30-35% in its IT-BPM Strategic Review 2013. One must keep in mind that a large contribution towards the NASSCOM estimate is from BPM companies. Barely any of the 60+ participating startups in ASW were from this space. We are already seeing a key role being played by women entrepreneurs and the growing number of women startup employees is certainly a hihly positive sign. Here are some key insights:

Mumbai has the highest ratio of women startup employees

The highest ratio of women employees is in overseas locations, at 42%. Within India 

Mumbai hasthe best ratio, with 39% female workforce in startups. The numbers are least in Pune (14%) and Bangalore (23%).

Younger women are more willing to take up the startup challenge

~70% of women startup employees have less than 5 years of experience, while over 40% of men in startups have more than 5 years of experience.

The initial teams in startups are more male dominated; 80% of employees with more than 2 years experience in the current startup, are men. However, as they grow, startups are increasingly hiring women. In fact, when it comes to employees with less than 2 years of experience in the current startup, a third are women. More women are looking to take up roles in startups and 2/3^rd of women employees in startups do not have prior startup experience.

Technology is male dominated but women are making their impact in other functions

Over 60% of women startup employees are in Operation and Other functions. While Technology is male dominated with 84% men, almost 30% of employees in Sales & Marketing are women. Among the women workforce, a third are in Operations and a quarter each in Operations and Sales & Marketing.

Nature of Work and Growth Opportunities motivate women

While Nature of Work and Growth Opportunities are important motivators for both Men and Women to join startups, these factors are relatively more important to women. Nature of Work continues to be something that women find more important even after joining a startup. They are keen to be actively involved in all aspects of the company and have rated Vision Mission Alignment as the most important parameter.