IWD 2022: How To Break Workplace Gender Bias

International Women’s Day is an annual holiday celebrated on 8th March as an expression of respect for the struggle for women’s equality. The achievements of all women throughout history and presently are celebrated on this day, regardless of their national, ethnic, linguistic, cultural, economic, or political differences.

 

Why Do We Celebrate International Women’s Day

First observed in 1910, International Women’s Day is celebrated worldwide (albeit some countries do choose to recognise the holiday on a different date, for example, in Tunisia, International Women’s Day is celebrated on 13th August). The theme for International Women’s Day in 2022 is “Gender Equality Today for A Sustainable Tomorrow.” The purpose this year is to recognise the contribution of women and girls around the world, who are leading the charge on climate change adaptation, mitigation, and response, to build a more sustainable future for all.

Stereotypically, research shows that women are more likely to have the responsibility of taking care of children, carrying out household chores, and taking care of elderly parents. Therefore, women are more likely to work part-time, earn less money, and are inadequately represented in businesses compared with men. Additionally, gender pay gap research demonstrates that a woman’s salary will be lower than that of a male colleague in the same position.

 

Gender Bias In The Workplace

Women are more likely to suffer direct discrimination in workplaces where they are treated less favourably than men. They are also more likely to suffer indirect discrimination due to policies and practices not designed to discriminate but are more likely to place women at a detriment.

Gender equality is achieved when women and men enjoy the same rights and opportunities across all sectors of society, including economic participation and decision-making, and when the different behaviours, aspirations, and needs of women and men are equally valued and favoured. Equal opportunities in the workplace can bring many benefits for businesses and their employees. Any organisation that values diversity and employs people from different backgrounds with different perspectives will experience a huge boost in business output.

 

What Can Organisations Do?

Organisations should have a clearly defined equality, diversity, and inclusion strategy in place which includes actionable steps to achieve greater gender equality in their workplace. Examples may include a commitment to monitoring the female talent pipeline to ensure that effective mentoring and development plans are in place to support female employees or the provision of ongoing programmes and benefits to support women, such as childcare benefits or the ability to work flexibly.

Without the help of experts who can advise and guide you through the process of formulating and implementing a strategy, achieving greater gender equality and creating an inclusive workplace can be difficult. Even if you’re content with what you have now, looking for ways to improve it ensures continual improvement, which is in the interest of your organisation. Taking gender equality seriously in your organisation is a great way to improve work culture and make you a more competitive employer with better access to top talent.

Have a talk with one of our consultants about advancing greater equality and inclusion in your organisation today by sending an email to enquiries@thinkpeople.co.uk