The International Women’s Day theme for 2023 is #embraceequity. Equity is a potent force ensuring women get hired, are retained, and advance in their careers.
Equity in the workplace is about ensuring a level- playing field. Multiple factors have to be aligned for a woman to thrive in the workplace.
Here is an action list for companies to enable them to realize their potential:
Address biases: Biases are commonplace, which makes it all the more important for companies to identify them and train employees to overcome biases. Studies have proven that women bear the brunt of biases. A recent study has revealed that many women leaders are quitting posts due to biases. The Women in the Workplace report by McKinsey, in association with LeanIn, says that women leaders are quitting at a higher rate when compared to male leaders, and companies are struggling to retain them. Another report from the University of Sydney and Australian National University says that despite being qualified, women are fighting for respect in the workplace due to systemic biases.
Bridge the pay gap: The gender pay gap is a result of systemic biases, socio-cultural norms, and low representation of women in the workforce. An ILO report says that while India bridged the pay gap from 48% in 1993 to 28% in 2019, Covid has caused the chasm to widen by 7% since then. In the US, the gender pay gap is evident with women earning 82 cents for every dollar that a man earns. These call for policy interventions led by organizations.
Create a safe place: A safe place is when women can raise grievances and get them addressed through a proper mechanism. Implementation of the POSH Act that addresses sexual harassment in the workplace by setting up internal committee members and training employees in provisions of POSH is a big step towards it.
The Best Companies for Women in India shows that among the 2022 100-best BCWI, 97% of them conduct e-trainings to raise awareness.
Revisit hiring policies: Research says that women often apply for jobs only when they meet all requirements, while men apply even if they meet just 60%. Tweak the job description that is biased with masculine-related words and adjectives like superior, aggressive, and self-sufficient. Adopting gender-neutral language at the hiring stage is imperative. At least 90% of the 2022 Top-10 BCWI have bias filters for female talent and caregivers.
Offer flexibility: Caregiving roles and family responsibilities place a disproportionate burden on women. Studies have also indicated that women consider downshifting their careers, citing the tasks they juggle. Avtar has been batting for women’s workforce highlighting how marriage, maternity, and mobility influence their careers. Considering these factors, all 2022 top-100 BCWI have a structured process of flexible working and 97% offer remote work.
With multiple factors influencing women’s workforce participation, the workplace should step up to make it equitable for them. Policies and practices related to maternity and child care help leverage female talent. Embracing equity is an ongoing process, involving measures to meet the changing needs of the workforce, which includes women.
