PwC conducted the Global Workforce Hopes and Fears Survey in 2022 that concluded that even today men in the workplace are more empowered than women. The 484 Companies listed in the 2023 Bloomberg Gender-Equality Index however, are a clear reflection on how many organizations today are actively striving towards gender diversity in the workplace.
You are right to wonder why these companies are even making an effort to bridge the gender gap.
The answer- it is…
What Women bring to the Table
Ruth Bader Ginsburg, former Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States stated in an interview with USA Today, 2009:
“Women belong in all places where decisions are being made. It shouldn’t be that women are the exception.”
Women and men are different biologically and socially. And despite the conclusion that such a statement generally follows with, this actually enables women to bring bring a completely different perspective and set of skills to the table.
Years of biological evolution and social dictates have given women an edge over men in multiple aspects. Workspaces that are able to nurture these aspects can enjoy a multitude of benefits that women bring to the workplace, which are not possible in an organization biased against women.
1. Fresh perspective:
Women bring with them a different perspective on issues-their perspective. Being different from men psychologically helps them to view situations from a different angle and come up with unique solutions for everyday business problems. An organization with a gender diverse workforce can benefit from the varied opinions available to it.
Women form a major chunk of the consumer market which is evident from studies like Statistics on the Purchasing Power of women and Statista’s Frequency of online shopping in India as of June 2022, by gender.
With women controlling a significant section of the target market it is in the interest of businesses to incorporate women’s perspective into all significant strategic decisions and what better way is there to do that than increased participation of women in the workforce.
2. Sincerity and morality:
A series of studies by researchers Laura Kray and Michael Haselhuhn have concluded that in a competitive scenario women have higher ethical and moral standards than their male counterparts. Women have time and again proved to be more conscientious, hardworking, sincere and agreeable, all of which are qualities that make for an excellent employee and leader.
3. Superior sales tactics:
Higher emotional intelligence of women proves to be handy for them in the field of sales. Being better at understanding the needs and emotions of the clients, women are better equipped to be great salespersons. Studies have shown that saleswomen seem more sincere, genuine and likable than salesmen and are more likely to convert leads into paying customers.
4. Superior multi-tasking:
Women by nature are multi-taskers. Studies conducted to test the multi-tasking abilities of both genders have revealed that women are in fact better than men in several types of multi-tasking.
Women are multi-dimensional and can bring this multi-dimensionality into the workspace as well. Multitasking employees are a boon for any workplace because they can not only do their own work efficiently but step-up to the challenge of helping other employees in their tasks as and when the need arises. Multitasking employees cut down the need for additional resources and can lead to increased productivity in the workplace.
5. Better work-life balance:
Being the traditional caregivers in the family unit women are more motivated to regulate and balance work and life outside work. Having women in the workforce helps to create an environment that encourages a healthy balance between work and personal life.
6. Intuition and higher EQ:
From a young age, women are taught to be in touch with their emotions. This helps them to better understand and recognize situations. Women exhibit better instincts than men not only due to social adaptation but also because they are biologically hard-wired to be more intuitive. Studies have shown that the female brain has more activity and greater blood flow in the areas that control memory and emotion resulting in better intuition.
Being more in-tune with their emotions, women are more receptive to the feelings and emotions of others. Having higher EQ makes women more intuitive about the needs of people around them and helps build better relationships with colleagues. With this quality women can prove to be great team players and even great leaders.
7. Better stress management:
Work related stress is a given in the cut-throat world of business today. Men and women react to stress differently, while men tend to internalize stress women tend to lean on personal connections to manage stress. British author Dr. Eve Poole agrees that being able to connect with others gives the women an upper hand at taking charge of their stress and managing it. Being so equipped, women can take on high-stress jobs and perform well under stress.
8. Creating a healthy work environment:
Empathy and appreciation for others helps women foster and strengthen interpersonal relationships which go a long way in creating a healthier work environment. Women have in the past used their ability to focus on the needs of individuals to transform the workplace like the founding ladies of NASA who worked together to create a work culture that helped each one of them reach their highest potential which in turn contributed to NASA’s growth.
9. Agreeableness:
Women are generally more agreeable than men. Their greater willingness to communicate and receive feedback contributes to creating a harmonious workspace. The ability to mitigate workplace conflicts and create strong interpersonal bonds with their colleagues is what makes for a great team member and an even better leader.
How to make the shift
Michelle Obama, the former First Lady of the United States of America stated-
“There is no limit to what we, as women, can accomplish.”
There is no two-ways about the need for a more inclusive workspace for women. Every business must aim to create a space for women in the workforce.
Businesses can encourage higher participation of women in the workspace by taking the following steps:
1. Training Management:
Change must flow from the top. Management must be trained to be more inclusive and open minded. The management should set the tone for gender equality at the workplace.
2. Creating more inclusive business policies:
Businesses must create and promote policies that encourage participation of women in the workplace. Policies like maternity benefits, child-care facilities, flexible working hours, etc. made keeping in mind the differences in the needs of male and female workforce help to retain female employees in the workplace and even encourage greater participation of women in the workforce.
3. Setting up a support system:
Businesses must implement a systematic approach to supporting women and bringing out the best in them. Businesses must aim to help women recognize their strengths and to hone their skills to achieve success.
To Conclude
If given an opportunity women can bring a lot to the table. Businesses must break the glass ceiling and see women employees as equally if not more capable than their male counterparts of handling senior leadership positions in the workplace.
Do you agree that women have a lot to offer in the workplace?
Share your experiences with us in the comment section below.
