gaps, be aware of ‘relative advantage’ and engage men in the conversation to build their capability,” he says. Embedding these changes requires senior leadership


support. He says it is also important to understand cultural nuances in international settings, especially in terms of working with colleagues across geographical boundaries and in assignments or global mobility projects. Cultural nuances in different regions, such as Japan and Korea, are important to understand for effective relocation and inclusion. “There is a need for collective responsibility in shaping


workplace culture and behaviours,” Mark says. “The focus should be on inclusion to create an environment where all talent can flourish. For example, companies could make the shift from gender-specific workplace leave policies to a universal parental leave policy.”


TRANSFORMATIONAL CHANGE FOR LONG-TERM IMPACT The responsibility for embedding transformational change and ensuring long-term impact lies with senior leaders who must become knowledgeable, credible and authentic role models of inclusive behaviours, Mark says. He advocates training 10% of the workforce as


inclusion champions who can be supported in their role as agents of change. “These agents of change have the authority to call out poor behaviours and support good behaviours,” he says. That said, it is important to be sensitive to individual backgrounds and cultural nuances when confronting stereotypes and outdated views on gender roles. Instead, a healthy workplace is an environment where people are known and valued as individuals. “A good start is to begin by setting out agreed


behaviours and language, which can help foster a culture of inclusion and mutual respect,” he says. “We can change things. We can call things out. We can move forward together in a world without gender conflict.”


join our EVENT 7 March 2025


MARK FREED’S TIPS FOR A MORE INCLUSIVE WORKPLACE:


• Analyse the business case for diversity and inclusion and make sure senior leadership teams buy into the benefits


• Ensure that diversity and inclusion efforts go beyond just recruiting and retaining diverse talent and focus on creating an inclusive culture and behaviours


• Examine the reasons behind the disproportionate number of men receiving international assignments and address any unconscious biases or assumptions that may be leading to this


• Engage men in discussions about inclusion by focusing on how it benefits them, rather than just telling them they are ‘privileged’ or need to be ‘allies’


• Train 10% of the workforce as inclusion allies who can help support more inclusive behaviours across all strata of the organisation.


“ Once you start engaging with those men and talking about inclusion, rather than just men and women, and address the culture instead, you find that men too want to work in meritocracies and don’t want to work in environments with bullying and aggressive bosses.” MARK FREED, MEN FOR INCLUSION


EQUALITY IN THE WORKPLACE – 3 PART SERIES


Marianne Curphey interviewed Mark Freed ahead of his keynote at Think Global Women’s celebration of International Women’s Day, 7 March 2025, London.


READ THE SERIES:


Part 1: How to achieve true equality in the workplace – page 74


Part 2: How to tackle resistance to cultural change in the workplace – page 28


Part 3: How to create a diverse & inclusive workplace – page 36


31


AT OUR


GLOBAL LEADERSHIP SUPPLEMENT


CULTURE


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