5 Ways to Improve Gender Equality in the Workplace

It is a fact that women and men are different, but it’s also true that we all have similar needs when it comes to work-life balance.

In this article, I will share with you 5 ways to make sure your company has better gender equality in the workplace.

The Importance of Gender Equality at Work

Gender equality at work means that everyone gets equal opportunities for employment, equal pay for equal work, equal treatment, equal respect, and equal access to resources.

This includes not just the right to be employed, but also the right to a fair wage, paid leave, flexible working hours, childcare facilities, health care benefits, etc.

Businesses that foster a culture of gender equality and diversity reap many benefits.

Diverse teams are smarter and more innovative than homogeneous teams.

A study by McKinsey found that companies in the top quartile for gender diversity are 15% more likely to have financial returns above their national industry median. Gender-diverse teams also make better decisions.

A study by the Peterson Institute for International Economics found that teams with more women make better business decisions 66% of the time, while male-dominated teams only make better decisions 53% of the time.

1. Remove Biases

One of the most important things you can do to increase gender equality in the workplace is to remove any biases against either gender. When you hire someone, try to look past their gender and focus on what they bring to the table.

For example, if someone applies for a position, don’t automatically assume she/he won’t be able to handle the job because she/he is a woman/man. Instead, consider how that person might be able to contribute to the team. are they good at problem-solving? Do they like to lead by example? Can they motivate others?

When looking at candidates, ask yourself whether you would want them to fill a specific role within your organization. Would you trust them with sensitive information? Would you expect them to be able to handle difficult situations?

2. Provide Training

Another way to help increase gender equality in the workforce is to provide training programs for both men and women.

These programs could include workshops where employees learn new skills, such as sales techniques, leadership styles, negotiation strategies, and conflict resolution.

You can also provide training to employees who are transitioning into new roles.

For example, if a woman decides to become a manager, she may benefit from additional training before being promoted to a higher level.

3. Make Sure Women Are Represented Equally

When hiring employees, it’s important to make sure that women are represented equally.

Many organizations use quotas to ensure that certain percentages of positions go to women and minorities.

However, quotas aren’t always effective. Some studies have shown that when women are hired based on merit rather than quotas, they tend to outperform men.

This means that if you want to increase gender equality in your company, you should stop using quotas altogether.

4. Offer Flexible Hours

Some jobs require long hours, but this doesn’t mean that all employees must work those exact hours.

In fact, some companies encourage employees to work different schedules.

Flexible hours allow employees to balance their personal lives with their professional responsibilities.

For example, if you have kids, you probably wouldn’t want to come home every day at 5 p.m., even though you might enjoy spending more time with your family.

Instead, you could work part-time or telecommute so that you can pick up your children after school and still get enough sleep. You could also plan your schedule around your partner’s needs.

If you feel like you need flexibility in your schedule, talk to your boss about working fewer hours. You could also negotiate for a flexible schedule with your employer.

5. Pay Attention to Pay Gaps

The wage gap between men and women has been shrinking over the years.

However, it’s still present. According to the World Economic Forum (WEF), globally, women earn on average just 68% of what men are paid for the same work and just 40% on average in countries with the least gender parity.

In order to close the gender pay gap, you need to make sure that everyone receives equal compensation. One way to do this is to look at salary history. If a woman employee earns less than his male counterpart, you could offer her a raise.

Alternatively, you could offer her a promotion instead.

In addition, you could also take steps to reduce the wage gap. For example, you could hire people based on qualifications rather than experience.

Conclusion

Gender equality in the workplace isn’t easy. It requires constant effort and commitment. But, if you implement these five tips, you will see positive results.

It's not just the number of women in senior management positions that are lacking; there are also problems with the way women are treated once they reach the top.

A study conducted last year found that women were paid significantly less than their male counterparts in both entry-level and experienced jobs.