26 August, 2022

Promoting Gender Equality in the Workplace

You might be tempted to believe that women have nearly closed the gender gap in the workplace, courtesy the building press and discussions around diversity and inclusion. However, there is a tremendous amount of work that still needs to be done in order to institute gender equality in the truest sense, thereby increasing employee engagement for women employees. Here are some statistics that can emphasize our point-

• Women earn 19% less than their male counterparts for the same job.
• Research shows that women are still underrepresented at every level.
• Men currently hold roughly 60% of manager positions, while women hold only 40%.

So Why is Gender Equality Important in the Workplace?

Now that the need for sustainable efforts towards creating an inclusive, safe, and equal workplace for all is apparent, let us dive into the fundamental reasons why gender equality is beneficial for all the stakeholders in an organization. 

1. A McKinsey study proved that organizations with greater diversity improve profitability by 21%.

2. Inclusive teams make better business decisions up to 87% of the time.

3. If women to be able to fully participate in paid work and earn equal pay, that could add USD 28 trillion to the global gross domestic product (GDP). That would be a 26% increase by 2025.

4. A gender-equal workforce leads to diverse ideas and innovation, ultimately leading to better performance and business growth.

What’s more interesting is the fact that women can also benefit from working with other women. According to a study, 1 in 5 women said they were often the only woman in the room at work. This was twice as common for senior-level women and women in technical roles. Such singular women have a significantly worse experience than others, as around 80% of them receive micro-aggressions, whether intentional or unintentional, that communicate hostile or negative slights and insults.

Thus, providing your employees with an inclusive and equitable space is imperative for fostering safety, enhancing creativity, and spurring the drive for innovation. A diverse workforce brings a unique set of ideas and perspectives to the table, and an inclusive culture that allows those voices equal opportunity to be heard is great for creating new solutions. The key to this is being both diverse and inclusive.

A workforce where no one feels left out and there is a coherent sense of belonging among peers subsequently fosters greater employee engagement, which in turn can increase financial returns and the market share. Engaged employees tend to feel more energized and connected to their organization, and they are often willing to go the extra mile to maximize productivity. High employee engagement is also linked to higher employee retention, which saves money on recruitment costs.

Tips to Promote Gender Equality in the Workplace

1. Restrict the use of any gender-binary pronouns in your org-wide communications, such as vacancies, new recruits, or policy announcements.

2. Analyze the ratio of men, women, and non-binary people working in your organization to gauge the diversity.

3. Roll out surveys and polls based on gender equality, discrimination, harassment, or any other concerns through a digital employee engagement platform and encourage people to answer them. This will help in identifying the key problem areas and take appropriate action.

4. Ensure fairness and transparency in rewards and recognition. Use a digital platform for maximum impact!

5. Give equal opportunity to everyone when it comes to L&D, leadership roles, and special tasks.

6. Remember- reverse sexism is just as bad, so foster an organizational culture that is inclusive and prosocial for all employee groups.

Are you a Diversity and Inclusion Champion? Talk to us!

Apart from the mandatory legal policy changes, it is now time for organizations to focus on cultural and value based changes to reduce gender inequality. It is not enough to simply hire more women, although that is a start. Businesses must make an effort to both close the gender gap and make their workplaces truly equitable, since diversity alone does not create inclusive workplaces.

Are you as keen as we are about diversity and inclusion? Connect with us to know how our digital R&R platform can help instill fairness, transparency, and equity within your organization!