In the context of the global COVID-19 pandemic, the #MeToo movement and the economic crisis, organisations and their people have been battling extreme pressures over the last two years. From these challenges have come opportunities to have courageous conversations about what equality and fairness look like in the future of work;
What changes need to be made to build more inclusive workplaces?
How organisations can adapt to these changes to drive progress both in terms of the success of the business and the communities they impact?
These conversations have driven a shift in the capabilities required of leaders towards more compassion- and empathy-based leadership.
Building on the themes emerging from our panel discussion and our experience in women leadership training, this paper aims to uncover the evidence on the barriers women are facing in the workplace, and the organisational strategies that can help to address these issues and foster gender balance.
This paper shares and help you to understand the following factors that are identified as key to enabling women’s success in organisations:
- Commitment and accountability from company leaders to drive change for a more inclusive workplace
- Building awareness of unconscious bias throughout the organisation, and identifying policies or practices that are contributing to it
- Treating gender equality as a business imperative and linking it to the company’s purpose and values
- Using data to drive decisions on actions the organisation can take to improve gender balance
- Embedding constant conversations and education on the issues to be addressed, such as intersectionality and psychological safety
Based on a review of literature and insights from two panel discussions in Asia-Pacific and Europe with HR, L&D and OD professionals , this paper explores the challenges that women are currently facing in the workplace, and what organisations can do to help create a culture of gender balance and equality for all employees.
