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Gender diversity in the workplace is becoming an increasingly important topic of conversation. Companies are realizing the impact of having a gender-diverse workforce and are taking steps to create more equitable workplaces. A study suggests that 78% of employers focus on diversity to improve company culture.
In this blog post, we’ll dive into what gender diversity means, explore why companies should strive for greater gender diversity at work, and provide effective strategies to achieve it.
What is Gender Diversity?
An organization is considered gender diverse when the workplace is made up of a healthy proportion of male, females, and individuals who recognize themselves as any other gender identity. It’s important to note that gender diversity isn’t just about having an equal number of men and women in the office-it’s about creating a workplace where everyone feels comfortable and respected regardless of their gender identity or expression.
6 Benefits of Gender Diversity in the Workforce
Drives Productivity and Profitability
Fostering an environment that is inclusive of employees from diverse backgrounds can drive tremendous business growth. Research by Mckinsey & Company shows businesses with ethnically diverse executive boards are 33% more likely to achieve greater profitability than other companies.
Another study by Gartner found that companies that encourage an inclusive environment and have team members from diverse backgrounds are 75% more likely to achieve their financial targets. A study by Harvard affirms the power of diversity and states that firms that encourage gender diversity have higher market value.
Improves Talent Retention
About 39% of employees say they are considering leaving their current employer for a more inclusive one. Creating a gender-diverse workplace can increase employee satisfaction, which can result in an improved retention rate. This means in a diverse environment, employees are more likely to stay with an organization for an extended period and also perform better at their roles.
In addition to improving employee retention, gender inclusion in the workplace can also play an essential role in attracting top talent. In a survey, 37% of employers responded that, in the current times, candidates expect to learn about a company’s DEI policies hinting at the rising importance of promoting diversity at the workplace.
Creates a Safe and Sensitive Environment
When there is a gender-diverse workforce, employees become more sensitive to different perspectives. It ensures that all employees irrespective of their gender identities will be able to share their ideas without fear of judgment. It also creates an environment where everyone feels welcome and respected.
Better Decision-making
A gender-diverse workforce can bring multiple viewpoints to the table, which can help an organization to solve complex problems effectively. It enables teams to do a deeper analysis of a problem statement, giving organizations greater insight into how to tackle problems with precision.
Greater Innovation
Innovation often stems from harmonizing different outlooks. Gender inclusion in the workplace can increase the possibility of creative solutions. Research by Harvard Business Review shows that gender inclusion in the workplace can result in 19% higher innovation revenue.
Strengthens the Employer Brand
Companies with good DEI levels are able to build a strong employer brand. It shows potential employees that organizations are committed to creating a safe workplace for their employees. About 47% of millennials actively look for diversity in the workplace before accepting offers.
According to a PWC report, 85% of female millennial workers consider an employer's diversity, equality, and inclusion policy to decide whether or not to accept an offer. Thus, a gender-inclusive workplace can play a huge role in strengthening the employer brand and also reduce the offer rollouts in the recruitment cycle.
Strategies to Achieve Gender Diversity
Write Gender-Neutral Job Descriptions
Gender inclusivity in the workplace begins with writing gender-neutral job descriptions. Recruiters should review job descriptions for any potential biases and make sure that they are suitable for inclusive hiring.
Thoroughly evaluate job ads, descriptions, and titles, and try to identify the gender-biased language.
For instance, words like “dominant” or “aggressive” might be perceived as biased towards male candidates and discourage female applicants from applying, and can impact women diversity goals.
That’s why employers should focus on using a gender-neutral tone in job postings that attract a diverse talent pool.
Recruiters not only need to craft gender-neutral job descriptions but also ensure that the post doesn't contain a lengthy checklist of “Required Skills.” While listening skill requirements are essential to ensure the talent pools have the right fits, it can also be a major reason that stops recruiters from achieving their gender diversity goals.
Studies have revealed that men apply for jobs when they meet 60% of the qualifications mentioned in the job posting; however, women candidates decide to pursue an opportunity only when they meet 100% of the qualifications.
Set up a Diverse Interview Panel
Recruiters should be aware that the interviewing process is a two-way street. While they are assessing potential applicants, those same applicants are simultaneously evaluating the work culture and values of the organization. A company's commitment to diversity is not just a statement but an action. The best way to reflect this is with a diversified interviewing panel.
By setting up a diverse interview panel, organizations can create an environment that makes underrepresented candidates feel comfortable and welcome. Furthermore, it helps form a fair judgment about the candidate since different perspectives are considered while evaluating performance.
Recruiters can also consider inviting candidates to lunch interviews or office tours. This can allow businesses an opportunity to showcase their equitable work culture and strengthen their employer brand.
Implement Blind Resume Screening
Blind resume screening is another effective strategy to achieve gender diversity in the workplace. It is a hiring strategy where recruiters remove details like name, email, address, and other personal information from an applicant’s resume. This can eliminate the possibility of inadvertently evaluating candidates with information that does not predict job performance.
Such a technique minimizes bias against genders or ethnicities and creates a fair assessment of candidates for the job opportunity.
There are several ways a company can practice blind screening of candidates. One of the simplest ways is to assemble a team that can create a database that consists of only the qualifications of candidates and filters out any other information which can lead to biases.
Another simpler way would be to leverage AI tools that can automate the resume screening process.
Talview provides an AI-powered Recruitment Chatbot to help recruiters automate tedious tasks like resume screening and qualify candidates based on their skills without human intervention. The chatbot also makes it easier for employers to resolve candidate questions seamlessly, which leads to increased engagement.
Train Interviewers to Spot Unconscious Biases
Blind recruitment is only effective to a certain point. Unconscious biases in the recruitment process can still slip through during the interview process. If proper measures are not taken, they can impact the interviewer's decision-making and compromise the company's gender diversity targets.
That’s why it is essential to train interviewers to recognize unconscious gender bias during the selection process and make equitable decisions.
One way to train interviewers is through courses that can educate employees about gender diversity in the workplace.
Organizations can also use hiring software such as Talview’s Interview Insight. It is an AI-powered solution that monitors the interviews for biases and measures the validity of questions asked by interviewers. The tool provides real-time to interviewers so that they can be notified about any bias and take corrective as well as preventive measures.
Offer Fair Compensation
Data has repeatedly shown that gender pay gaps continue to persist in many organizations. According to a study, women employees earn 82 cents for every dollar a male employee earns.
To create a more equitable workplace, employers must ensure fairness regarding compensation packages. This includes equal pay for similar roles regardless of gender or other demographic factors such as race, ethnicity, age, etc. Organizations should also provide transparent salary structures and have individual performance-based bonuses recognized by everyone.
In addition to this, they should consider offering additional benefits such as healthcare insurance, parental leave policies, and flexible work hours, which can attract and retain diverse talent pools.
Share DEI Policies With Candidates
As mentioned earlier, the new generation of workers prefers to learn about companies' DEI initiatives before accepting offers. Therefore, organizations should ensure that their DEI policies are visible and easily accessible to potential candidates. This helps create an open, transparent environment and encourages job seekers to apply for positions with confidence.
By sharing the company's DEI culture and values as a part of the recruitment process, employers can eliminate any doubts prospective candidates may have about gender diversity in the workplace and motivate them to become part of the organization.
Monitor Recruiting Metrics
Recruiting metrics are essential for gender diversity management in the workplace. With detailed reports on recruiting metrics, employers can focus on areas where improvements are needed and measure the impact of their DEI efforts in the recruitment process.
Data-driven recruitment strategies also help organizations identify potential biases in their recruitment process and enable them to make informed decisions related to gender diversity hiring.
Encourage Mentorship and Career Growth
Employers should build a workplace culture that encourages gender parity and nurtures gender-inclusive practices. They can introduce mentorship and internship programs for underrepresented employees to allow them to grow professionally. This will help promote inclusivity in the workplace and ensure no one feels discriminated against because of their identity.
Such a strategy can be especially useful to achieve gender diversity in tech companies, which are typically male-dominated workspaces and require a more balanced approach.
Take Hints from Exit Interviews
Exit interviews are critical in understanding why employees leave their job. Organizations should take this opportunity to learn from the employee's feedback, especially when it comes to gender diversity initiatives. Employers must make sure that such conversations remain open and honest.
This information can be used to identify areas of improvement in terms of gender diversity in the workplace. It also serves as an insight into what can be done differently in order to create a more inclusive environment for all genders.
How Can Talview Help You Achieve Your Gender Diversity Goals?
Talview's Interview Insights is a next-gen solution that leverages machine learning, artificial intelligence, and natural language processing along with proven psycholinguistic frameworks to monitor interviewers for unconscious biases. With the combination of cutting-edge technologies, the tool has the ability to measure the quality of the interview.
The key benefits and features of Talview’s Interview Intelligence are:
- Provides real-time feedback to interviewers about the relevancy of the questions
- Enables employers to identify potential candidates based on their qualifications and assess them without any bias or prejudice regarding gender
- Generates comprehensive interview reports
- Insights offered by the tool can be invaluable while creating gender equality training in the workplace
Conclusion
Gender diversity in the workplace is essential for a business to succeed. Organizations should ensure that their DEI policies are visible, monitor recruiting metrics, and offer mentorship and internship programs to underrepresented groups.
Additionally, organizations should utilize AI-driven solutions like Talview’s Interview Insights tool to reduce any potential unconscious biases during the recruitment process. Talview’s Interview Insight solution is designed to enable organizations to make informed decisions in talent acquisition and create a gender-diverse workforce that drives innovation, creativity, and productivity in the workplace.
Find out how Talview can help your organization with a customized demo.
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