How companies can proactively achieve gender equality and parity

How companies can proactively achieve gender equality and parity

Companies can proactively achieve gender equality and parity by implementing inclusive hiring practices, promoting diverse leadership, and fostering an inclusive work environment. By actively seeking out and hiring candidates from underrepresented groups, companies can increase the diversity of their workforce. Additionally, promoting diverse individuals into leadership positions and providing equal opportunities for career advancement can help address gender disparities. Creating an inclusive work environment where all employees feel valued and supported is also crucial in achieving gender equality and parity.

According to Wikipedia, Gender equality is the state of equal ease of access to resources and opportunities regardless of gender, including economic participation and decision-making; and the state of valuing different behaviours, aspirations, and needs equally, regardless of gender.

When it comes to gender equality, we need to revisit the statistics. If women represent only 25% of senior roles globally, then men hold the power relative to talent and succession. They are the decision makers and this has significant implications for our female leaders.

Discrimination remains one of the biggest barriers to women moving into leadership roles or even enjoying leadership roles. 

According to a study by Harris Interactive, 25% of women report discrimination and unfair treatment at work. It is now imperative for organisations to have a more proactive approach to achieving gender equality.

 In 2020, the global gender pay gap was estimated to be around 16%, meaning women earned about 84 cents for every dollar earned by men. [Source: World Economic Forum, [Global Gender Gap Report 2020]

 In Nigeria, the gender pay gap is significant, with women earning approximately 49.4% less than men. [Source: World Economic Forum, [Global Gender Gap Report 2020]

In 2021, women held only 21.7% of senior management positions in Africa, indicating the gender disparity in leadership roles. [Source: McKinsey & Company, [Women in the Workplace Africa 2021 Report]

Representation of Women on Boards in Africa: In Africa, women occupy only about 14.4% of corporate board seats, indicating a significant gender disparity in board representation. [Source: African Development Bank Group, [African Economic Outlook 2021]

Impact of Gender Equality on GDP in Africa: Achieving gender equality in Africa could lead to a potential increase of about $316 billion to the continent’s GDP by 2025. [Source: McKinsey & Company, [The Power of Parity: Advancing Women’s Equality in Africa]

The following are strategies I recommend for companies to implement on their journey toward achieving gender equality in the workplace:

1.Conduct a gender pay gap analysis- Conduct an analysis on payment across the company to identify if you have a gender pay gap issue so you can implement pay parity across the board. 

2.Create safe spaces – Provide a safe space for women, organisations additionally should train staff generally on certain dos and don’ts of workplace etiquette that border majorly on scenarios that create unsafe spaces for women 

3.Audit your company – Conduct a company audit across women and ask women to anonymously list the things that make them uncomfortable being a woman in the workplace, you will get good insights and use those common responses to create a word cloud where you will gain insights on common themes.

4. Training -Training plays a pivotal role in advancing gender equality within organisations. By implementing targeted training programs, companies can proactively address biases, foster inclusivity, and empower women to thrive in leadership roles. 

Gender Sensitivity Training: Training sessions focused on gender sensitivity help employees understand the complexities of gender dynamics in the workplace. These sessions can cover topics such as unconscious bias, microaggressions, and inclusive language. By raising awareness of these issues, employees are better equipped to recognize and challenge discriminatory behaviour, creating a more inclusive work environment

5. Proactive creation of opportunities – Provide equal opportunities for growth and development: Organisations can provide equal opportunities for promotions and leadership positions to all employees regardless of gender. They can also offer training and development programs to help women and underrepresented genders advance their careers.

6. Establish a diverse and inclusive culture: Organisations can create a culture that promotes diversity and inclusivity. This can be achieved by encouraging open communication, acknowledging and valuing diversity, and creating a safe and respectful work environment.

7. Develop more female initiatives -The work organisation is skewed towards men and is generally seen as the Boys Club, companies need to actively create more initiatives for women that will further aid the quick succession of women into leadership roles. Female Leadership Initiatives -To reduce the gap and fix the shortage of women in senior management, there is a need for the creation of leadership initiatives targeted at women

A female mentorship programme that allows women in leadership to train young proteges on a defined frequency, 

Development of incentive based on the mentor’s ability to create opportunities for females to excel and transition to higher positions.

8. 8. Gender-specific training– Gender-based leadership training that takes into cognisance women’s natural disposition and provides adequate leadership training -This initiative will help bridge the gap and eventually transition to both genders naturally garnering well-deserved sponsorship and a voice at the most senior levels, including board representation.

9. Organisational restructuring- Change in structure to support women, bearing in mind the traditional gender roles that have the woman as the caregiver. Management style should be flexible taking into cognisance both genders’ natural dispositions and not use a one size fits all approach. Also, the structure should ensure there is zero tolerance toward gender discrimination. 

10 Development opportunities- Women should be given development opportunities that are necessary to support progression into higher levels of management and ultimately into board positions.

11. Occupational desegregation– Companies with roles that are strongly segregated along gender lines should make a conscious effort that will lead to more female inclusion.

12. Female Networking Events -Formal and informal networks can help men gain influence and access to high-ranking positions. Furthermore, the scarcity of women in senior positions means that any male networks.

13. Government laws and policies- There should be policies that provide the approved ratio of male to female in senior management, these defined ratios that should be relevant and applicable to each industry to further close the gap.

Closing the gap in the gender‐segregated area can have a lasting and profound effect on the development of a company and a nation. 

 It is important to ensure gender-neutral teams because diversity brings different perspectives and ideas to the table, leading to better decision-making and problem-solving. When teams are diverse and inclusive, employees feel valued and empowered, leading to increased job satisfaction and retention. 

Gender-neutral teams also help to break down stereotypes and biases, creating a more equitable and just society. In the end, gender equality is a win-win for all.