Inequality persisting in the workplace, study finds
Written by Working Voices • 29 October, 2024
Culture, Diversity & Ethics Article
<p style=”font-weight: 400;”><strong>This year, International Women’s Day focuses on ‘inspiring inclusion’. What does this mean for business? A good place to start would be the 2023 Women in the Workplace report, jointly authored by McKinsey and equality campaigners Lean In. Together they found that despite gains at the top, women still remain under-represented in business at all levels. </strong></p> <p style=”font-weight: 400;”>The <a href=”https://internationalwomensday.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/images/WomenInTheWorkplace-2023Report.pdf”>Women in the Workplace</a> report (October 2023) is the largest annual study on the state of women in corporate America. A survey of more than 27,000 employees at 276 organisations, the study found that while there have been sizeable gains in senior leadership, there’s been less progress in middle management, along with “persistent underrepresentation of women of colour.” This International Women’s Day, the report will serve as a key focus point for business leaders.</p>
<h2 class=”title–xs” style=”font-weight: 400;”><strong>When is International Women’s Day?</strong></h2> <p style=”font-weight: 400;”>Celebrated annually on March 8, International Women’s Day (IWD) aims to raise awareness of discrimination, and continue progress towards gender parity.</p> <p style=”font-weight: 400;”>Landmark IWD moments include marches in 1914 when women across Europe held rallies to campaign against the First World War. Three years later, thousands of women in Russia demanded bread and peace in actions that contributed to the abdication of the czar.</p> <p style=”font-weight: 400;”>More recently, in 2022 Jamaica <a href=”https://jis.gov.jm/fw-all-young-female-parliament-for-international-womens-day-2023/”>staged</a> an all-female sitting of parliament for young women, and in January this year Somalia <a href=”https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2024/jan/30/somalia-to-launch-its-first-current-affairs-tv-show-led-by-women”>launched</a> its first current affairs TV show led by women. IWD is now a public holiday in countries including Nepal, Burkina Faso, Sierra Leone, Cambodia and Kyrgyzstan.</p>
<h2 class=”title–xs” style=”font-weight: 400;”><strong>What is International Women’s Day?</strong></h2> <p style=”font-weight: 400;”>The biggest employee engagement day of the year, International Women’s Day allows campaigners to reflect on progress made, acknowledge challenges that still exist, and continue the process of dismantling stereotypes – including in the workplace.</p> <p style=”font-weight: 400;”>According to the Women in the Workplace report, inequalities in business are perpetuated by outdated thinking. In particular, four persistent myths continue to hold women back:</p> <p style=”font-weight: 400;”><strong>Myth 1: Women are becoming less ambitious</strong></p> <p style=”font-weight: 400;”>Reality: Women are as committed to their careers and as interested in being promoted as men at every stage of the pipeline. New flexibilities introduced since the pandemic have led to women becoming more ambitious than ever.</p> <p style=”font-weight: 400;”><strong>Myth 2: The biggest barrier to women’s advancement is the ‘glass ceiling’</strong></p> <p style=”font-weight: 400;”>Reality: The ‘broken rung’ is the greatest obstacle women face on the path to senior leadership. Women’s biggest hurdle to advancement is at the first critical step up to manager: for every 100 men promoted from entry-level to manager, 87 women are promoted.</p> <p style=”font-weight: 400;”><strong>Myth 3: Microaggressions have a ‘micro’ impact</strong></p> <p style=”font-weight: 400;”>Reality: Microaggressions have a large and lasting impact on women. The report echoed findings from previous years showing that women experience microaggressions at a significantly higher rate than men. Women are twice as likely to hear comments on their emotional state.</p> <p style=”font-weight: 400;”><strong>Myth 4: It’s mostly women who want – and benefit from – flexible work</strong></p> <p style=”font-weight: 400;”>Reality: Workplace flexibility is no longer just an added bonus for some employees; it’s important to nearly everyone. Men and women see flexibility as a ‘top 3’ employee benefit and critical to their organisation’s success.</p>
<h3 class=”title–2xs” style=”font-weight: 400;”><strong>What are the biggest indicators of inequality? </strong></h3> <p style=”font-weight: 400;”>In 2015, after two years of negotiations, governments around the world signed up to the UN’s programme of 17 sustainable development goals (SDGs) – intended to be implemented by 2030. These include better gender equality and reduced inequalities, with a focus on the empowerment of all women and girls.</p> <p style=”font-weight: 400;”>Progress in each of the 17 objectives is assessed each year, for example SDG 5 – gender equality – is evaluated through 18 indicators. Of these, only one is close to target: the proportion of seats held by women in local government.</p> <p style=”font-weight: 400;”>Other indicators are less encouraging. According to the <a href=”https://www.unwomen.org/en/digital-library/publications/2023/09/progress-on-the-sustainable-development-goals-the-gender-snapshot-2023″>Gender Snapshot 2023</a>, published by the UN’s gender equality agency, if current trends continue more than 340 million women and girls will still be living in extreme poverty by 2030. That’s 8% of the female population worldwide. And close to one in four will experience food insecurity. The report found that women will face an alarming $360 billion annual deficit in gender-equality measures by 2030.</p>
<h3 class=”title–2xs”><strong>Tackling workplace inequality</strong></h3> <p style=”font-weight: 400;”>How should leaders respond to these calls for action? In business, there’s a need to recognise the Gender Snapshot’s concern that “women’s share of workplace management positions will remain below parity even by 2050.”</p> <p style=”font-weight: 400;”>In recent years, there has been progress in business, including a growing emphasis on empowering women in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) fields. STEM initiatives promoting education and mentorship for young girls have helped to break down barriers and foster inclusivity, leading to more women pursuing careers in traditionally male-dominated industries.</p> <p style=”font-weight: 400;”>Nevertheless, women worldwide continue to face wage gaps, limited access to financial resources, and barriers to entrepreneurship. Evidence for this comes, in part, from the work of <a href=”https://www.internationalwomensday.com/Missions/19580/Harvard-Professor-Claudia-Goldin-wins-Nobel-Prize-for-groundbreaking-gender-pay-gap-research”>Claudia Goldin</a>, who in October 2023 became the first woman to win solo the Nobel Prize for Economics in recognition of her ground-breaking research examining the history of the pay gap.</p> <p style=”font-weight: 400;”>Campaign <a href=”https://www.internationalwomensday.com/Theme”>organisers at IWD</a> list ways that this year’s theme can be developed in business, including:</p>
<ul> <li>forging women’s economic empowerment</li> <li>recruiting, retaining and developing female talent</li> <li>supporting women and girls into leadership, decision-making, business and STEM</li> <li>providing women and girls with access to quality education and training</li> <li>promoting creative and artistic talent of women and girls</li> </ul> <h2 class=”title–xs” style=”font-weight: 400;”><strong>Supporting International Women’s Day campaigns</strong></h2> <p style=”font-weight: 400;”>At Working Voices, we support IWD themes through courses such as <a href=”https://www.workingvoices.com/course/womens-leadership-becoming-a-leader-2/”>Women’s Leadership: Becoming a Leader</a> and <a href=”https://www.workingvoices.com/course/womens-leadership-the-executive-2/”>Women’s Leadership: The Executive</a>.</p> <p style=”font-weight: 400;”>In addition, our in-depth work on disengagement in the workplace identified key causes of fatigue and poor productivity. In response, we developed <a href=”https://www.workingvoices.com/insights/your-complete-guide-to-the-sustainable-human/”>The Sustainable Human</a> training programme that specifically tackles these causes. Focusing on sustainable ways of working, The Sustainable Human strategy embodies a clear commitment to gender equality.</p> <p style=”font-weight: 400;”>Our research was inspired by key papers from psychologists, behavioural scientists, and businesses, including <a href=”https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.1193147″>work</a> on collective intelligence published in 2010 by organisational behaviour expert Anita Woolley, and others. Its findings include the realisation that the more women on a team, the higher the team’s collective intelligence. This is because women are more likely to show ‘social sensitivity’ in supporting others, for example encouraging quieter but no less talented team-members to share their ideas which in turn supports the team’s performance.</p> <p style=”font-weight: 400;”>Embodying values at the heart of International Women’s Day, The Sustainable Human supports the <a href=”https://www.internationalwomensday.com/Mission/Work”>call</a> from IWD campaigners to “forge inclusive work cultures where women’s careers thrive and their achievements are celebrated.”</p> <p style=”font-weight: 400;”>Inspiring inclusion in the workplace makes for a healthier, more productive organisation – which is important to everyone, regardless of gender. Ultimately, IWD is a powerful reminder that gender equality is not just a women’s issue, it’s a fundamental human rights issue that requires collective action from all.</p>
Get our latest insights by subscribing to our newsletter. Each week you'll receive updates helping you to understand and respond to the challenges facing your organisation. We won't share your details with anyone and you can unsubscribe at any time.
Learn to tackle the day-to-day challenges faced by women in the workplace with confidence, control and conviction.
This fast-paced interactive talk delivered by our motivational keynote speakers provides insight on how women can communicate with more impact and how they can develop within a leadership role by enhancing their personal presence. Our women’s speakers aim to help you build the confidence to be included in meetings, and raise your visibility as an authentic and influential leader. This talk can be tailored to your business and any specific requirements you might have.
The founder and CEO of Working Voices, Nick Smallman has been at the top of his profession for 25 years. Advising global blue-chip clients on engagement, productivity, and retention, he counsels leaders on increasing revenue via simple cultural adjustments.
Overseeing the successful expansion of Working Voices across the UK, the US, Asia, and the Middle East, Nick supports the leadership and communication capabilities of clients in a wide range of sectors. In particular, he has advised companies such as JP Morgan, Barclays, Sony, Nomura, M&S, and Blackrock for more than 15 years.
Developing his reputation for thought leadership, in recent years Nick has been leading work on The Sustainable Human, the subject of his forthcoming book. A concept unique to Working Voices, The Sustainable Human offers a package of solutions focusing on leadership enablement, future skills, and cultural harmony.
Working closely with HR specialist Mercer, Nick has developed solutions to four key modern workplace challenges:
“I’m excited to share the conclusions of three years of research that, if implemented, can make an immediate practical difference to leaders and their organisations.”
All articles by Nick Smallman
Our motivating keynote speakers will help you to gain an understanding of how you present yourself to others and how they identify with you. You’ll also gain an understanding of how influence and the development of a personal brand can enhance your impact. In this enthusing talk our expert business speakers will explore the practicalities and techniques involved in developing a suitable personal brand and creating a strong personal impact.
Networking skills are important for achieving success in business. This talk delivered by our engaging keynote speakers will provide you with an insight into good networking etiquette. Our business speakers will focus on understanding the importance of networking, how to plan and prep before an event. You’ll learn some good tips for reading group body language and some essential icebreakers to get you started.
Parents all over the world are becoming increasingly worried about the effect of screen use on their children’s mental health. In addition to a lack of understanding as to what they are looking at there is the deeper issue of how online behaviour is shaping the way that children think and form relationships. We unpack the neuroscience behind the addictive nature of screen time and offer a blueprint to help parents coach their children towards a more fruitful relationship with the internet.
The internet is lauded as a giant leap for communication and a vehicle for mass connection in a busy world. What is also becoming clear is the opportunity for bad actors to manipulate important social, cultural and political conversations through the dissemination of misinformation and disinformation. We lay bare the methods that are used to inject confusion and grievance into the conversation and how we as consumers are not naturally wired to combat this. We will offer a framework to help protect you from fake news, distraction and getting sucked in to destructive communication
70% of people will experience a genuine fear of being exposed as not good enough, of being a fraud in their working lives; this talk will help you combat such feelings and deliver practical guidance that will help you feel confident and comfortable when taking on the next big challenge.
In a world dominated by showmen, charismatics and influencers it is becoming more and more difficult to find leaders that are intellectually credible as well as influential. The ability to think critically is being downgraded while the ability to attract attention is lauded. It is possible to do both and we will show how strong mental models can underpin a long-term leadership persona.
The self-help industry is an ever expanding and hugely popular vehicle for personal development. Humans have an innate desire to improve themselves and raise their status – what’s not to love? However, some of the ideas and tropes used in many of the self-help products available rely on flawed thinking to be successful. We explore 6 major themes, deconstruct their effectiveness and relevance in the modern world and provide an alternatives that are more effective.
“Your personal brand is what people say about you when you’re not in the room.” Jeff Bezos (Founder and Chairman of Amazon) that’s why it matters so much. It’s all about creating the right external impression, ensuring it is authentic and makes you stand out from the crowd. This inspirational talk by our expert keynote speakers will explore the methods, techniques and practises of developing an authentic personal brand that gets you noticed.
Presenting can be a daunting ordeal at the best of times but this highly interactive and fast paced talk will help build your confidence and improve your delivery with any audience. Our keynote speaker will take you through how best to prepare for your big moment, along with helping you look and sound the part as well.
TED Talks can be both informative and inspiring, but how do the best speakers deliver their message with such impact? In this talk, one of our inspiring keynote speakers will walk you through the TED method and help you deliver your very own idea with confidence and precision.
Emotional intelligence is about the ability to identify, assess and manage the emotions of yourself, of others and of groups. Having a high EQ will improve your ability to maintain good working relationships and communicate successfully. This highly interactive talk will give you a practical insight into how emotional intelligence works. Our expert keynote speakers will give you a concise overview of the emotional intelligence know-how and stratagems you need to interact commendably with clients and colleagues.
Making a good impression and having a strong personal presence is an important part of being successful in business and in life. Personal impact is about having presence and charisma. In this engaging talk our motivational keynote speakers will explore what both of these actually mean, what they look like and feel like. We will look at the practicalities of each and punctuate both topics with brief exercises to help you to become more aware of the way you interact with others. This is an exciting and interactive talk which our expert business speakers deliver in an inspirational style.
Successful people are super communicators – they think clearly and are expert at interacting with others. They understand themselves, other people and know that superior relationships are the cornerstone to a fulfilling life These characteristics are learned attributes. Now you can master these skills and behaviours and work towards becoming a super communicator yourself.
Improving your influencing skills is important in helping you to build better rapport and have positive relationships with your clients and colleagues. This fast-paced talk delivered by our expert business speakers helps you to explore and develop your existing influencing skills. Our inspiring keynote speakers will focus on maintaining mental and linguistic flexibility when interpreting and presenting information helping you to become an effective influential leader. Our keynote speakers can adapt this talk to your business needs and requirements if requested.
Our sentiments and feelings towards people are created by our own experiences but we’re not always aware of how those sentiments affect the way we act towards people and make decisions about them. Our engaging keynote speakers will bring to light your unconscious bias in this thought provoking talk: how it works, the affect this has on decision making and most importantly, what you can do about it; making sure you are the inclusive leader you wish to be.