The role of women in leadership positions has been a topic of discussion for decades. Studies show that women leaders bring a unique perspective and skill set that can help organisations perform better. Women leaders have been shown to be more collaborative, empathetic, and inclusive, which can create a more positive work environment and foster employee engagement. Diverse leadership can better reflect and serve the diverse customer base, leading to better decision-making and more innovative solutions. However, even with the increased awareness of the benefits of a diverse leadership team, women remain underrepresented in top positions across industries.
There are several reasons why organisations may be taking a long time to improve gender representation in leadership positions. The prevalence of systemic biases might make an organisation favor men over women when it comes to hiring and promotions. These biases may be unconscious or overt, but they can make it difficult for women to advance their careers and achieve leadership roles.
Compounding this problem is the low number of women in the pipeline for leadership positions, which makes it harder for organisations to promote them to these roles. Lower rates of retention or advancement for women in entry-level or mid-level positions are the main reasons for the lack of diversity in the pipeline.
In addition, some organisations may be resistant to changing their hiring and promotion practices, even if they recognize the importance of improving gender representation in leadership. This can be due to concerns about disruption to established processes or a lack of awareness about the benefits of diverse leadership.
Organisations must prioritize diversity, equity, and inclusion in their recruitment and talent management practices to make meaningful progress in improving gender representation. Diverse workplaces are more productive and have lower turnover rates. Women in leadership positions can help create an inclusive culture by implementing policies and practices that support pay equity, work-life balance, flexible working arrangements, and employee well-being. They can also work to eliminate bias and discrimination in hiring and promotion processes, creating a more level playing field for all employees. Women leaders serve as role models and mentors for younger women in the organisation. Seeing successful women in leadership positions can inspire and motivate women to aim for leadership positions and show them that it is possible to achieve those positions.
People Director
GHQ-India
Improving gender representation in leadership requires a sustained commitment from organisations to address systemic biases, build a diverse pipeline of talent, and create a culture of inclusion and accountability. Without clear goals and metrics for improving gender representation, organisations are losing the opportunity to gain a competitive edge in the market and to positively impact society and the economy as a whole.
