Let’s see why gender diversity in the workplace matters and look at a simple game plan for making it work in your work environment.
The recent media focus on the disparity in compensation has placed the publicity spotlight squarely on gender diversity in the workplace. Yet, pay disparity is only an element of gender inclusion in the workplace. Proper representation by qualified professionals is another important element for reaching the goal of gender diversity in the workplace. Why should you want to diversify your team of high achievers and how can you effectively get where you want to go when it comes to diversity inclusion in the workplace?
Let’s see why gender diversity in the workplace matters and look at a simple game plan for making it work in your work environment.
Why Gender Diversity in the Workplace Matters
When your company considers a gender diversity program, you want the program implemented to do much more than meet the legal guidelines established by federal and state laws. You want to implement a gender diversity program because it will create several benefits for your organization
More Talent to Reach
Organizations that fail to reach around half of the workforce are devising a recipe for failure. Recruiting qualified women dramatically increases your labor pool, which gives you many more options to enhance productivity and enhance profitability.
You Have Women Customers
Unless you operate a men’s only clothing store, one of your primary goals is to have your team of high achievers match the composition of your customer base. Your organization should have the employees reflect your customer base. Gender diversity in the workplace accomplishes that.
Easier to Recruit Accomplished Professionals
Companies that initiate successful gender inclusion strategies typically enjoy better reputations among job candidates. This makes it much easier to attract the most accomplished professionals in your industry.
Better Morale, Less Turnover
In the highly competitive job market, it is imperative for organizations to retain the talented members of their team. Implementing a gender diversity in the workplace program represents a highly effective way to decrease employee churn.
Increase the Number of Different Viewpoints
Approaching the world of business with tunnel vision is a recipe for failure. You want as many different perspectives as possible to discover the best option for any given issue. Gender diversity in the workplace broadens your organization’s worldview by including a more diverse set of viewpoints.
What does all of this mean? According to a study released by McKinsey, the organizations that implement the most inclusive gender policies are 21% more likely to experience above-average profits for their operating niches.
The Road Map for Gender Inclusion in the Workplace
Another reason to implement gender diversity in the workplace policies is that federal law mandates the practice of actively seeking to balance the gender scale. In 1964, the United States Congress passed the Civil Rights Act. Within the monumental civil rights law is Title VII, which forbids employers from discriminating against employees because of gender, race, color, religion and national origin.
Here is how your organization can comply with Title VII, as well as reap the numerous benefits of enacting gender inclusion programs.
Create an Inclusive Culture
Before you focus your organization’s efforts on attracting more women, you should review the current culture of your organization. Is your company a welcoming place to work for both genders? Does management treat both genders equally well? Work closely with your team to determine whether the culture exists to foster gender diversity. One of the most effective ways to gauge the inclusive nature of your company is to see how your team interacts outside of the workplace.
Change How You Write Job Descriptions
Research has discovered that men apply for jobs if they are 60% qualified for a position. On the other hand, women on average apply to jobs if they are close to 100% qualified. Instead of listing the qualifications of the many positions that are open in your organization, move towards writing performance-focused job descriptions. Performance-based job descriptions highlight what a job candidate can expect to accomplish in a position. In addition, write job descriptions that avoid using male-emphasized language.
Interview Team Should Be Diverse
Remember the interview process is not a one-way street. That is, the job candidate is not the only one doing the evaluating. More than two-thirds of all job candidates spanning virtually every industry have stated working in a diverse environment is a critical factor in helping them determine which company offers the best career option. Make sure to staff your company’s interview team with women that are highly effective at recruiting the brightest and best women in your field.
Pay Matters
In general, women earn around 78% of what men earn. After you factor in equal skills and experience, the number rises to 97.8%. If you want to recruit and retain the most accomplished professionals, your organization has to compensate them equally. Start by creating a company-wide compensation program that associates pay levels with certain professional credentials. Make sure to explain how your company compensates employees and provide opportunities for advancement that financially reward the high achieving female members of your team.
White Out the Names on Resumes
Although it remains an uncommon practice, a growing number of organizations have started to experiment by removing names from resumes. Instead of focusing on a job candidate’s name, the members of the recruiting department can focus on job skills and experience. You can even remove every piece of identifying information to prevent gender bias from tainting the hiring and promotion processes.
Take Advantage of Exit Interviews
Exit interviews represent the best opportunity your organization has for determining why employees decide to take their talents elsewhere. Improving your organization’s gender diversity in the workplace policies can happen if you encourage departing employees to discuss how they feel about the inclusiveness of your company, as well as your organization’s compensation program.
