There are more women running companies and working in business than ever before. Gender
diversity is pushing the growth of the economy. From 2007 to 2018, female-owned businesses
increased by 58%, whilst all other businesses grew by just 12%.
The Value Of Women In The Workplace:
Women are entering every sector of work, even those that were traditionally very male-oriented.
Women in the workforce have a big impact. Let’s take a look at how.
Effective Communication:
Women are often masters of soft skills that include showing empathy, making people feel valued, and
knowing how to communicate effectively. This can help to build a healthy work atmosphere and
make people feel that they are working as part of a team. For collaborative efforts these
communication skills are essential. Women often have great listening skills, are patient, and share ideas,
whilst remaining professional. Women often have great emotional intelligence. This allows female employees to address issues and resolve tensions before they begin to rise. Groups with more women may be better at taking turns in conversation.
Diversity In The Workplace
Having gender diversity in the workplace brings a greater range of interests, knowledge and skills. Having diversity in the workplace helps to provide different perspectives. You can benefit from these varied viewpoints and approaches. This diversity can help to spark creativity and imagination in the workplace. Having diversity in the workplace also just gives more topics of conversation in the office.
Strong Team Spirit
Women often value personal relationships and harmony. In the workplace this can help with team building and group efforts. These skills can help women to work in and manage teams efficiently. Other team members are likely to feel more valued and motivated.
Improve Company Performance
Organizations that employ women in senior roles outperform other companies. This study suggests that work teams with lower percentages of women have lower sales and profits. This global study shows that 75% of people say that gender diversity initiatives at work have helped to improve work performance. Almost three quarters of companies who are tracking gender diversity in management saw profit increases.
Studies show that having more women in the workplace positively impacts employee engagement and retention. Having women in the workplace helps to create a work culture where people enjoy coming to work, feel satisfied in their job, and don’t feel burned out.
Improve Your Companies Reputation
Having an inclusive recruitment policy is going to give you a good reputation in the community. It will mean that your workforce better reflects your customer base. It will also show that you have progressive company values.
How To Recruit And Retain Top Female Talent
If you want to recruit and retain the top female talent, you need to ask yourself what women want from their employment. When advertising positions for women you may want to think about the best options of job boards.
Women Want A Calling
Women don’t just want a 9 to 5. They want a job that will fit well with other areas of their life. They want to enjoy the work they do and to feel that it is making a difference. Women want work that will align with their values and give them a sense of purpose. We could call this “a calling”, rather than just a job. This is something that you feel drawn to. A calling is something that you find enjoyable and meaningful. You may even see it as a central part of your identity.
Women Want Flexibility
When women talk about what they value in the workplace, flexibility is right at the top of the list. Healthcare benefits, leadership development, and flexible schedules will be greatly valued by the top female talent. Paid time off and being able to work from home are also major perks.
Flexibility may be essential if you want to retain female workers who also want to raise a family. Research shows that women are actually much less likely to receive these benefits of flexibility than men. You could stand out as an organization by showing that you will provide flexible work hours and other benefits.
Women Want Leadership Opportunities
Women are just as likely as men to be interested in receiving pay raises, work promotions, and genuine leadership opportunities. Studies show that there continues to be a negative bias toward promoting women. They will need to be significantly more qualified than their male counterparts in order to receive a promotion.
Other studies show that women are likely to be given less resources when they are in leadership positions. This can include less funding, less supervisor support, and a smaller team size. Women are also more likely to be given “glass cliff” leadership positions. These are jobs with high stakes and high risk of failure.
If you want to attract the top female talent you need to make sure you are clearing out this kind of sexism from your organization. If you offer parity when it comes to levels of pay, work experiences, and leadership opportunities, you are likely to attract and retain the very best female workers.
In Summary
Diversity and inclusion is very important in the workplace. Women are starting to make up a greater percentage of the global workforce and to get more leadership positions. They have a unique set of skills which means they can help companies to thrive.
Women are likely to have excellent communication skills. They are more adept at spotting social cues and body language and have more emotional intelligence. These skills can be invaluable when you want to foster a healthy working environment. Studies also show that having women in the workplace increases productivity, profit, and job satisfaction.
If you want to attract the top female talent you must offer them work that feels meaningful and aligns with their values. You should offer job flexibility and other perks. You should also make sure there are equal opportunities for leadership development.
[Guest Post]