Six Ways To Make Your Office More Gender Inclusive

Despite the consistent evidence proving the connection and relation between inclusive and diverse workspace, performance, and profitability, the entire business world has been unsuccessful in leveling the gender equity field.

Women add to half population of the workforce. But they are mostly less likely to have leadership positions in an organization. According to a recent study, there is disparity amongst the executive teams. On average, women hold 23% of the executive roles. However, out of this 23%, barely 7% are in the line roles. Most roles assigned to women have less power to make decisions within a business.

Creating an Inclusive and Diverse Workspace

An inclusive and diverse workspace goes way beyond the representation of gender. However, it is a good point for starting. After all, women-led organizations and teams are about 17% likely to be confident about creating inclusive culture successfully.

Below are a few ways of developing a bias-free and inclusive process:

Develop a Bias-Free and Gender Inclusive Process of Hiring

Incorporate inclusivity of gender in the process of hiring. Careful considerations should be for describing the wording job, shortlisting candidates, and training the hiring managers. Slack, a message application company, has made an excellent start to the end. The agency employs reviews of blind codes. Thus, wiping out candidates’ identifiers and ensuring unbiased evaluations of the candidates.

Moreover, the recruitment advertisements and career web pages should reflect the organization’s vision. The fact that they are up for embracing gender inclusivity. You may use interviewing method to address the gender-related issues of candidates. It could make the prospective employees feel welcomed, valued, and secured.

Walk and Talk

Focus on the organization’s stance on the gender-neutral and inclusive workplace in the internal and external communication systems. Follow rigorous enforcement policies of zero tolerance for workplace harassment and discrimination.

GM is a perfect example of this. It has been recently voted as one of the world’s best companies when it is to gender equality. It’s the only company with a woman CEO and an equal number of people on board.

Apart from offering a flexible work environment and clear policies about sexual discrimination, it’s one of the three global organizations for implementing equality of pay at different levels.

SEE ALSO: A Short List Of Challenges That Women Face At Work

Prepare an Inclusive Physical Space at Work

The significance of creating a physical workspace that creates a gender-neutral environment is overlooked. Setting up toilets based on gender equality is essential. Hence, there should be a specific space for the nursing and the expectant mothers.

It is also vital to ensure safe and sound commutation. These are some of the gender-inclusive and diverse workplace designs that offices should implement easily. One good example of this is Jet.com, where the staff gathers inputs from the employees. It helps them understand what improvements in the workplace can make it more gender-inclusive.

Turn the Leaders Into the Agents of Change

According to recent research, organizations that spearhead the movement for gender equality have leaders and CEOs who’re committed to it. The leaders can turn into agents of change and role models who drive healthy interpersonal dynamics, which lay the founding stone for innovation.

For example, Cisco attributes the ongoing technological innovations to the rich and diverse leader’s team, comprising about 50% women. The management teams can reflect true inclusivity by promoting women in the leadership role. Thus, by including women in executive panels. Therefore, moving from the all-male members ones. It could be pretty encouraging for females who are just beginning their careers.

Concentrate More on Transparency and Equal Opportunity for All

It’s imperative to consider the blatant prejudices and even the subtle biases that hinder inclusivity. Exercising care with the help of gender-neutral pronouns offers parental privileges and benefits for males and females. It enables flexibility and pay parity for helping women overcome the penalty of motherhood.

You need to consider the example of Genpact and their “returning moms” programs that offer daycare facilities, flexible work schedules, and more. Thoughtful reworking policies could also help promote the desired behavior. Moreover, it can also provide for an equal playfield for everyone. For example, encouraging males to adopt flexible workplace practices for helping with child care may influence females’ progression.

Foster Inclusive Development and Training Programs

Diversity of gender training is essential. Such programs allow employees to know how gender inclusivity positively impacts workplace dynamics, including client relations and a better team. Periodic developmental interventions and coaching help everyone build the proper sensitivity and mindset for being practical and playing their roles well while also helping co-workers and external partners flourish in their careers.

There are numerous ways of creating an inclusive and diverse workspace. It’s high time for every organization to implement some of these methods to increase women’s participation in the workforce.