Originally published December 29, 2022 , updated on July 13, 2024

Representation for women in the workplace has certainly risen in recent years. According to a 2022 report conducted by Team Stage, women make up nearly half of the global workforce. However, recent data in a Mckinsey report indicates that over 10% of women are stepping away from their positions prematurely. 

While several factors may contribute to this trend, women leaders often face greater challenges than their male counterparts. In many cases, these complications stem from outdated policies and unproductive practices that make it difficult for women to advance within their organisations. 

As a result, women leaders are left with a difficult decision: To continue to fight for change from within or to pursue opportunities elsewhere. While there’s no easy solution to this problem, it’s obvious that companies need to do more to support their female leaders and women in the workplace if they intend to retain their top talent.

In today’s business world, many women seek employers that prioritise factors such as flexibility, employee well-being, diversity, equity, and inclusion (DE&I). This shift is driven by a desire to create work environments more conducive to success and satisfaction. 

By prioritising these factors companies can attract and retain top talent. They also create a more productive workforce, and foster a culture of inclusion. In addition, these policies can positively impact the bottom line. 

Creating a sustainable and durable approach to DE&I within the workplace takes time, dedication, and perseverance. But you can do it, and your company will be better for doing so. Read on if you’d like to learn more about improving your business’s DE&I efforts. 

5 Tips to Improve Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion for Women in the Workplace

Hire for a Diverse Background

LinkedIn’s Global Recruiting Trends reported that diversity is one of the most impactful practices regarding the hiring process. The LinkedIn study also found that 70% of job seekers claim they wouldn’t apply to a company if it lacked diversity. Furthermore, 84% of employees feel that their organisation could do more to increase diversity.

A lack of workplace diversity can lead to decreased employee morale, higher turnover, and lower productivity. To create a more diverse workforce, employers must focus on recruitment, training, and retention strategies targeting underrepresented groups. 

By taking these steps, organisations can create a more inclusive environment that attracts top talent and drives business results.

Be Mindful of Bias

Understanding bias and how it manifests to effect real change is essential.

There are a few different forms of bias. First is unconscious bias. This includes associations of bias that are hidden beneath the conscious mind. To address this, leaders can start helping their employees understand what it is and how individuals are impacted by unconscious bias. Businesses can do it through educational materials, training exercises, and honest discussion. 

The second form of bias is conscious bias. It is when an individual knowingly makes decisions that are prejudiced or discriminatory. This might occur in hiring practices, for example, when someone only considers candidates from the same background or who share the same views. 

Addressing conscious bias requires a different approach, as individuals must be willing to examine their own beliefs and motivations honestly. But whether it is unconscious or conscious, overcoming bias starts with awareness and acknowledgement. Only then can real progress be made.

To begin this phase, learn how to check your unconscious bias and that of your workforce. 

Advocate for Equal Pay

Managers play an important role in ensuring that their employees are fairly compensated for their work. It’s the manager’s responsibility to regularly review the company’s payroll while assessing each employee’s productivity and role. Managers can perform this delicate duty through people analytics, which is the process of using data to assess patterns and trends within an organisation. 

This data can help managers identify which employees are underpaid for similar roles or responsibilities. For example, if managers notice a pay gap between male and female employees, they can level out the playing field and ensure fair opportunities are available and provided for each employee. 

In addition, people analytics can also help managers pinpoint any negative or biased patterns that may exist within their team. With this assessment, leaders are more likely to identify the root of issues. By leveraging people analytics, managers can ensure that their employees are fairly compensated for their work.

Celebrate Cultural Holidays

As our world becomes increasingly connected, it’s more important than ever to be aware of the many different cultures and religions. One way to build awareness of diversity and foster greater inclusivity is to acknowledge religious and cultural holidays. 

A great way to extend your acknowledgement as a manager is to help employees become aware of and keep track of multicultural religious or holiday celebrations. By doing this, you are not only increasing awareness and understanding of different cultures, but you’re also respecting the needs of your employees. 

Keep in mind that not everyone may be available on the same days when scheduling meetings. And while some employees may need flexibility when it comes to these celebrations, others may have different needs that require accommodation. By respecting and understanding these differences, you can create an inclusive and welcoming work environment for everyone.

Track Changes, Make Adjustments, and Facilitate Feedback

Achieving diversity, equity, and inclusion in the workplace is a complex and ongoing process. For companies to achieve success, businesses must commit to making DE&I part of their core values and day-to-day operations. This shift can require substantial changes to workforce strategies and systems, which can take months or even years to implement. 

Tracking progress against DE&I benchmarks is essential to assessing the effectiveness of these efforts. While it’s important to celebrate successes along the way, it’s also significant to remember that DE&I is an ongoing journey with no final destination. By staying focused on creating a more diverse, equitable, and inclusive workplace, businesses can continue to progress toward a more just and equitable world.

If you’d like to learn more about diversity, equity, and inclusion and how to create an effective approach within your business to champion rights for women in the workplace, Goodman Lantern is here for you. We offer targeted diversity, equity, and inclusion services to help companies develop, implement and communicate their strategies. 

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