Kyle Samuels is the founder & CEO of Creative Talent Endeavors (CTE) and an iconoclast in the world of executive search.
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While people may be shouting "Progress!" when it comes to gender equity in the workplace, don't be too quick to believe them. The truth is that we're still failing. The end of 2023 marked the highest point in history for women's representation in the C-suite as a whopping 28% of executive roles in the United States are occupied with people who identify as women. What's even more unfortunate is the fact that this is a mere 6% increase since 2018.
Compounding the issue, the leadership pipeline for women to advance from junior to senior positions is shrinking; it dropped 10 percentage points in 2023. So even as the conversation surrounding women in the workplace is growing louder, the numbers show slow and minimal progress.
We can’t let optimism outshine the reality of the landscape. Without systems of accountability in place, progress will eventually come to a full stop. After all, it’s a lot easier to stay comfortable in what we know—that’s human nature. The biggest obstacles we face in this fight for parity are invisible, unconscious biases.
Why Gender Equity Matters
Setting aside personal beliefs on human rights, the truth is that bringing more women on board is simply better business. Research indicates that promoting gender equity in the workplace can increase productivity by upwards of 40% and profitability by 63%. It’s a safe assumption that most executives, stakeholders and investors hold profitability high on their priority list, so the fact that the modern workplace largely lacks systems that promote gender parity is a puzzling contradiction.
When prioritizing business outcomes, we also can’t ignore that women in the United States hold more advanced degrees than men. Given the current population is nearly an even male-to-female split, women being unable to ascend through the ranks of an organization at a more comparable rate to men clearly isn't a matter of ability or qualifications.
Oftentimes, efforts to create a more inclusive environment trigger a common response in those already deeply comfortable within the system: “What will be taken from me in order to make space for someone else?” We must reframe the question and instead ask, “What am I missing out on by not having women on my team?” The answer, considering the facts previously discussed, is clear. Better outcomes. Innovation. Diverse perspectives. Enhanced creativity. More profitability.
How To Foster Gender Equity In The Workplace
For businesses, and HR leaders in particular, it's both a responsibility and a great privilege to build a system that seeks, supports and elevates talented women. Here are some strategies to ensure your organization is doing what it can to reach gender equity.
Offer Benefits To Support Working Caretakers
One way to attract qualified women to your organization is to have benefits and policies in place to support those who are also caretakers. For example, are you offering sufficient paid time off for parental leave? Beyond supporting time away, put systems in place to ensure a smooth transition back to work, which may include financial assistance in securing child care.
Foster An Inclusive Culture
Once a woman is on the team, be intentional about how you cultivate a welcoming, safe culture. Execute plans that strive to promote gender equity using experiential learning techniques such as role-playing and reverse mentoring to help shift personal biases. Be creative in orchestrating off-site gatherings at places other than a golf course or a sports bar, which are typically dominated by men.
Women need to feel a sense of belonging in the workplace, which helps increase their ability to contribute value. Try setting measurable goals for women’s advancement, and work them into the overarching business strategy in a way that quantifies women's participation in the company’s journey toward success.
Include Women In Every Area Of The Business
To effectively attract, support and retain women, it's vital to bring their talent and leadership into every crevice of the business. Ensure they have representation in every department, advisory board and employee resource group. Position women in leadership roles, and have them lead professional development efforts as figures of knowledge, expertise and experience.
We have to call out the uncomfortable sources of resistance to gender equity when we see or sense them. Gone are the days of looking the other way because the data shows that building an inclusive workplace doesn't—and won't—impair or detract from men in the office. There are numerous companies already doing the work to prove it.
It comes down to accountability. Designing policies and internal structures without a regular review cadence will leave them accumulating dust on a shelf. Have the hard conversations. Evaluate what is and isn't working. Seek and welcome feedback from current women at your company, and be prepared to respond and pivot when necessary. It’s worth the effort to challenge ourselves and each other to get comfortable with what we perceive as uncomfortable. That's how we can create space for everyone to succeed, for the betterment of this economy and our humanity.
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