5 Strategies to Make Businesses More Inclusive towards Women

By: Rajan Sarma | Monday, 27 July 2020

Studies have consistently shown that gender diversity is a crucial element for the success of any business organization. A gender-inclusive business operation is more likely to yield above-average profitability. According to one recent research published by the Harvard Business Review, 61 per cent of the women prospects prefer a diverse leadership team within an organization. It is essential in today's corporate world to have a group of decision-makers who are women. Here are 5 possible ways to make workplaces more welcoming to women and nurture a diverse work environment in the process:

Offer Flexible Working Hours

The COVID-19 Pandemic has created a situation of uncertainty all over the world. The outbreak has put millions of business operations to a complete halt, while many others have switched over to remote work.  The current scenario is especially pressing for women, as many of them also have the additional responsibility of childcare. Businesses offering flexible working hours to women at a time when they need it the most will go a long way forward in terms of work engagement, productivity and loyalty.

Maternity Benefits & Rights

Another sure-shot way to attract women to workplaces is to improve maternity rights. Young women seek policies like paid parental leaves, or paid maternity leaves due to pregnancy, which at present only about 12 per cent of the private companies offer. Cisco and Google are encouraging examples in this regard, as both the companies are at the forefront in acknowledging the importance of maternity leaves for women of all ages.

Breaking the Glass Ceiling by Promoting the Right Talent

Women are still underrepresented in terms of leadership roles – the world over women comprises only 6.6 per cent of the Fortune 500 CEO's. Women seeking to move up the ladder in a given career still face significant gender bias and discrimination. In order to welcome women and retain skilled women, businesses need to do away with pre-conceived notions of gender bias by giving the right talent its deserving opportunity.

Equality of Income

In the majority of the cases, women earn less than men for the same type of occupation. In order to attract qualified women into a business organization, equal payment is a necessary prerequisite. Closing the gender gap in income would cut poverty among women significantly. In recent times, pay equity has been getting a lot of spotlight in the media. The #Mee Too Movement that began as an awareness campaign about sexual harassment and sexual assault towards women is now also pressing for gender payment equality in the workplaces.

Recognizing Different Work Styles

A female-friendly workplace is one that is open to a different type of work styles and habits. Multiple work styles could help formulate new ideas and methodologies in workplaces. Male workers tend to be more logical, while women naturally have a more substantial emotional quotient. A healthy combination of varying work style is a sure-shot way to ensure productivity in any business operation.

To sum up, a diverse workforce is the future of work, and specific strategies if duly adopted can ensure long-term business continuity.