‘Recruitment meets Rocket Science’

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The Reward

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Accepted thinking

McKinsey, globally accepted as thought leaders on the issue of diversity have identified three elements that provide an “ecosystem” that best supports gender diversity:

• Management Commitment - The CEO and Executive Committee support gender diversity and set targets for the number of senior women in the organisation.

• Women’s Development Programs – Allowing women to obtain the skills and networks required to boost their ambitions and profiles.

• Collective Enablers – Enablers to smooth a woman's progress through the company, including; HR policies, support initiatives around childcare etc.

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Latest thinking

Research in recent years shows that although women are equally ambitious as men, they are less confident than men that they will reach the top of an organisation. The question is WHY?

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Key Driver

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The most important driver for women’s confidence in success is: Corporate Culture

• Senior management commitment ; from the CEO to the executive committee, diversity must be front and centre of the agenda

• Education; all employees must be given the facts around why a more diverse workforce is for the good of the company. Only when male employees understand that “what is good for women is good for men” will cultural change happen.

• Welcoming a broad range of leadership styles and re-building the model leader around female leadership skill-sets as well as male.

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Key Steps to a Pro-diversity Corporate Culture

Brainstorm

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Completely impartial diversity committee to have oversight of recruitment, promotion and compensation policy.

Females returning from maternity leave given access to wider range of opportunities with a focus on better work/life balance.

Maternity leave should be examined on a case by case basis to accommodate needs of females. Each female’s needs are different. Varying degrees of recovery time/flexibility on return. Support during this key time creates huge loyalty.

Female employees should be eligible for a four day week, two to three years after coming back from maternity leave. A reward for remaining loyal to the firm.

• The main reason for the lack of females in senior roles is the challenge of maintaining a work/life balance.

• Recent research has highlighted corporate culture as a key driver of a female’s confidence in their chance to achieve success. This has a fundamental impact on retention and advancement of female talent up to the top levels of an organisation.

• In practice, this means that for maximum success, any gender diversity measures e.g. leadership programs or mentoring schemes for female employees, should be part of a wider effort to change corporate culture to embrace diversity.

• Female focused development programs and mentoring initiatives should be combined with a flexible working policy, but above all there should be sustained efforts to provide a corporate culture which truly understands the benefits of diversity to the business.

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Conclusion

Additional Information

Bibliography

Title Author(s)

Gender equality: Taking stock of where we are 2015 McKinseyWomen Matter 2013: Moving Corporate Culture, Moving Boundaries McKinseyWomen Matter 2012: Making the Breakthrough McKinseyGender Diversity and Corporate Performance Credit Suisse Research InstituteShattering the Glass Ceiling Boston Consulting GroupWhat Stops Women reaching the Top Bain and Company

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