Caregiving duties continue to shape women's career decisions, with 83 per cent of respondents saying they had skipped applying for certain roles because they felt balancing work with family responsibilities would be challenging, a report has revealed.
Nearly 8 in 10 women in India have chosen not to apply for certain jobs due to caregiving responsibilities, highlighting the continued impact of unpaid care work on women's career choices, according to a report by global job site Indeed.
"While caregiving responsibilities are shared across many households, the report highlights how women in India continue to factor these demands into important career decisions. Women remain ambitious, but many are increasingly selective about roles that fit the realities of caregiving. Employers that offer genuine flexibility and clearer expectations are better positioned to attract and retain them," Indeed India Managing Director Sashi Kumar said.
Indeed's report is based on inputs from 1,141 women - working mothers, women currently on a career break, women who had returned to work after a break - across the country, including major cities such as Bengaluru, Mumbai, Delhi NCR, Hyderabad, Chennai, Pune, and Kolkata.
The findings showed that flexibility has become a defining factor in how women evaluate career opportunities as flexible work hours emerged as the top priority for 53 per cent of respondents when choosing a job, followed by hybrid or remote work at 48 per cent.
This shift is also reflected in compensation choices, with nearly 8 in 10 respondents saying they would either accept lower pay (45 per cent) or consider doing so (34 per cent) in exchange for better flexibility and work-life balance, revealed the report.
For working mothers, it found that hybrid and remote work remained especially important with 37 per cent of respondents identifying hybrid or remote work as the single workplace change that would make the biggest difference for working mothers.
Over 59 per cent of respondents believed workplace flexibility has genuinely improved career opportunities for mothers in India, while another 30 per cent said it has helped somewhat.
The report further revealed that as more workplaces return to office-based models, attendance expectations are increasingly shaping job decisions.
Over 51 per cent of respondents said they have turned down a job interview or offer because of office attendance requirements.
The report also highlighted the importance of clear and practical job descriptions, with full-time office mandates emerging as the biggest deterrent for women evaluating opportunities, cited by 37 per cent of respondents, followed by lack of flexibility in job roles at 34 per cent.
Published on May 16, 2026