Best practices for helping women advance are laudable, but the reality is that bias often holds women back. Some of the most successful efforts to advance women have focused on changing hearts and minds backed up by rigorous accountability.
By Belinda Jones
There are successful women who have reached the top, but the numbers are way too low. Despite global discussions on equality, even North American statistics demonstrate that gender equality remains elusive.
However, there are companies that have taken the issue seriously, developing best practices that enable women to pursue their desired careers as far as they want to take them. It is difficult to change hearts and minds, but some programs are doing just that.
Women in Communications and Technology (WCT) helps women advance their careers in technology and communications industries. The organization utilizes several approaches to help young women develop the careers they want and not the careers culture has dictated. One is mentorship. Another is the creation of new programs like the Dr. Roberta Bondar Career Development Program for Young Women in Science and Technology. A third is getting digital economy leaders to “up their numbers.”
Commitments are critical because they increase transparency and hold companies accountable for progress. The WCT created the Up the Numbers national program which will report metrics on the engagement of women in various roles and levels of technology companies. The initiative also calls for WCT to work with companies, academic institutions, and governments to establish best practices in the recruitment and advancement of women in the digital economy. Canadian companies signing on to the initiative include Marketing for Pythian and TELUS.
The name of the initiative is appropriate because the Canadian technology industry, for example, has been stuck at 25 percent of women in executive positions for a number of years now. It is not just about getting the numbers right. It is puzzling to many that women still have trouble advancing in technology careers when research has proven diversity equates to stronger financial success.
Women’s success is not just a woman’s issue. It is an economic issue. That is one reason WCT also created the Protégé Project which helps senior executive women advance their careers all the way to the board room. Studies have shown that 86 percent of women do not have a sponsor.
Transparency Advances Women in Leadership
Mentorship, sponsorships and reporting commitments are some of the best practices to helping women advance their careers. Clearly though there is a need to change perspectives and cultural acceptance of the glass ceiling.
In Canada, diversity disclosure requirements that became effective Dec. 31, 2014, requires listed companies to report on the representation of women on boards and in senior management positions. After the first year, the level of compliance with the new disclosure requirements was a dismal 14 percent, indicating a lack of transparency. So transparency is a best practice because it holds the company accountable to all stakeholders. Some countries in Europe went a step further and set gender quotas for boardrooms.
Voluntarily achieving gender balance is much better than forcing it. Looking at companies around the world, a host of approaches are helping women advance their careers. So many women reach mid-management and still get stalled in their careers. However, there are global companies that have backed up their commitment to developing and advancing women with resources.
PricewaterhouseCoopers is one of the global leaders, developing a three-point strategic plan to developing and advancing women. The framework raises awareness of bias, monitors performance and supports progress. The company offers awareness training programs, and it has also developed an actuarial model to find underlying patterns and trends in the way women are promoted in order to remove barriers.
The company developed programs that fit each country of operation. For example, in the UK, the company offers childcare vouchers for the first year after return to work from maternity leave. PwC also developed the “Aspire to Lead” series which includes men and women in discussions on actions that support gender equality. Short of passing laws or regulations forcing gender equality, men must become advocates in order for women to have equal opportunities.
Reimagining the Culture
PwC understands that one of the important points concerning gender equality is that, as McKinsey & Company describes it, executives must reimagine their culture which requires a total makeover when barriers are in place.
For example, there may be a need for a new talent pipeline, revised recruitment procedures, bias training with accountability, accountability for team membership, addition of a mentoring or sponsorship program, and a complete revision of Human Resources policies and practices to encourage rather than discourage women.
Proctor & Gamble addressed gender equality by setting rigorous goals that are tracked with metrics. The company set targets and uses metrics to measure retention, promotion and leadership development. Managers are held accountable, including through the linking of performance in gender equality to compensation. There are leadership and mentoring programs, utilization of female leaders in the company actively promoting a culture of change, regular review of role assignments, and development workshops.
P&G is about action. In September 2015, the company committed to helping 100 million girls and women build confidence. These are the kind of initiatives that build talent pipelines, but it also takes visionary leadership. P&G has won the Catalyst Award for promoting women in business globally.
All Businesses Must Pursue Gender Equality
What is important to understand is that a company does not have to be a global mega-corporation to employ best practices for the advancement of women. Many initiatives promote women entrepreneurs because many women outside of North America need companies of all sizes to help them overcome local cultural biases so they can support their families.
Gender equality is about so much more than a woman rising to a board position. It is a global issue in which gender bias holds women back from achieving their potential. The potential may be becoming a CEO or senior executive, but it may be starting a small business.
The goal is to allow women to express their natural talents and capabilities. Best practices are those that allow women to be themselves as they bring their unique talents, perspectives and knowledge to every effort. It makes no sense to exclude so much talent from full participation.