improvements to the “broken rung”, with 99 women promoted for every 100 men. Yet Black women (54) and Latinas (65) face the most significant barriers to promotion.
THE IMPORTANCE OF TACKLING NEGATIVE BIAS As well as workplace action, a focus on women entering the workforce in the next few years and those currently in their
early careers
needs to be a priority for employers. The charitable foundation, Inner Wings, recognises the importance of reaching girls before secondary school to build their confidence and expand their horizons about the career opportunities available to them. International schools’ focus on
STEAM subjects is also helping to increase female participation and break out of the traditional female-dominated sectors, like health, education and retail and into tech, finance, technology and manufacturing. But it’s clear much more activity and collaboration are needed in this area. For Inner Wings, the launch of
its advisory council, with high-level political, business and education support, is a clear statement of need, intent and its ability to influence and change make. For employers, addressing attitudes is also likely to prove fruitful; this through a mix of employee resource groups (ERG) on the one hand and evidence- based approaches to policymaking and practice on the other. A new study by Kristin Kelley,
Lena Hipp and Paula Protsch at the WZB Berlin Social Science Center and the University of Cologne is a useful starting point for understanding perhaps why conversations around DEI have become more polarised, especially in this big election year; and how we can address these and adapt to continue to support the growth of a more equal and inclusive talent pipeline. Their research, ‘Organisational Commitments to Equality Change How People View Women’s and Men’s Professional Success’, shows the double-edged sword at the heart of DEI and women’s advancement programmes. This is, that a
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woman’s promotion is often seen as less fair and less based on merit than a man’s, but that a woman also has to work harder to secure that same promotion. “Our finding is that the public
believes that intelligence and effort play less of a role in women’s promotions in organisations that commit to women’s advancement,” says Paula Protsch. When companies value women’s advancement or equal opportunities, women’s success is less likely to be judged as fair or attributed to intelligence and effort than when companies emphasise performance and uniform assessment standards. Such perceptions confirm more
action is needed for women to be fully accepted, both in the workplace and in senior roles. Committing to women’s advancement is one of the best ways to achieve parity of perception – as well as parity of representation. What is less helpful, however, is where different metrics or processes are used to evaluate men and women, which suggests preferential treatment and negative perceptions. “After all, gender bias is perpetuated most by those who do not believe inequalities exist. Special consideration should be given to how to frame equality commitments that gain the support of those who are most sceptical.” This is where true inclusion and
belonging take root. As Ledetta Asfa-Wossen reported from the
Women in Tech conference, which addressed the vertical and horizontal segregation by gender in employment, affinity and employee resource groups are a highly valued approach to making meaningful change through allyship. The Women’s Network at Blick Rothenberg for example has helped to shape the company’s thinking on policy and practice for menopause and fertility planning. It is connecting people – men and women – across the business, promoting and deepening mutual understanding. These employee resource groups positively impact the whole talent lifecycle as part of a culture that encourages everyone, from senior to entry level, to remove the barriers to performance as they experience them. Along with its 2022 Relocate
Think Global People Award for Excellence in Talent Development, Deployment and Diversity, Blick Rothenberg won the Diversity, Equality and Inclusion Initiative of the Year accolade at the annual International Accounting Forum earlier this year. The audit, tax and business advisory firm’s Angela Cooke, head of diversity, inclusion and wellbeing, is now also appointed to Allinial Global’s inaugural DEI Advisory Board, where she will help other member firms overcome their DEI challenges. “Having a workplace culture where people can fulfil their
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