Part III | Recommendations for leaders to build a culture to leverage Gender Diversity

Thank you for your super rocking comments and responses on this series.

Here are some recommendations to create a culture that leverage Gender Diversity.

A quick fact that all of us are aware of is that “There is a huge shortfall of talent in all the industries, which can be bridged only with a changed mindset to promote “Diversity”.

This mindset will need culture shifts that can be led by the leaders. Many of your competitors are already in the journey and are even tasting the success now! Culture changes take time so start today! 

BEFORE HIRING

• Expose young women to the industry from an early age. Have your company reach out to schools and help them understand all the amazing ways a career in your industry shapes our lives. Engage these young people and energize them with the many career options that your industry offers. 
• Better yet, have a woman from your company go out and connect with young females, so those young women can see that there is a place for them in the industry. Hold Q&A sessions for young women only so they can ask questions they may be too shy or intimidated to ask in front of their male classmates. 
• Then take the information you’ve learned from these sessions and encourage your company to recruit more women. Set diversity hiring goals/targets in KRAs of your teams. Many companies have started openly committing to steep targets. Example Accenture, Google, Facebook etc.
• For culture alignment interview – Add a competency around “Inclusivity & Gender Respect” to be checked

DURING HIRING

• Offer women equal pay, a clear path for advancement, work-life balance options, and improved working relationships between genders
• Erase the outdated notion that there is any “man’s job” and refuse to employ people who perpetuate sexist attitudes.
• Just these changes alone would have a tremendous effect on efforts to attract more female candidates.

AFTER HIRING

Once you’ve hired women at your company, nurture them! Women need other females in the workplace as role models and work friends.

• Identify and increase the visibility of key [women] leaders who serve as role models for employees” in the top three most impactful things their organizations offer.
• Provide your hi-potential women, that extra learning and coaching opportunities to build right mind-set in order to take up leadership roles.
• Provide them with role models. – Seek out programs that will allow your company to connect women employees with other women in the industry.
• Educate the entire workforce (including men), about the implicit biases, gender sensitivity and inclusion.

If your organization is implementing something that can add value to others, please comment and share with the world.

We can help you design the D&I agenda for your organization, or run some intiatives that are impact and value based. Feel free to contact us through the details given below.