Beyond Biases: Ensuring Equal Opportunities For Women In Leadership

Sunjoy, let's start with understanding how organisations can approach gender representation at various levels of leadership, especially in traditionally male-dominated industries. And how do you think leaders can ensure equal access to opportunities for women?

I don't think there's any industry where women aren't challenging roles that can be done by them in an equal manner as their male counterparts. However, the divide is slowly being breached faster than we think. In fact, at DHL Express in India, we say "What gets measured gets done." Therefore, companies must set clear and measurable diversity and inclusion goals, holding themselves accountable for achieving them. This could include specific targets for women in leadership positions and ensuring fair hiring processes across the organisation. 

Globally, our goal is to achieve 30% women in senior management roles by 2025. To achieve this, it's vital to invest in training and development programmes that support women's career growth and help them build the skills required for leadership. This includes mentorship programmes, leadership development initiatives, and training on unconscious bias and diversity and inclusion. These are essential for their male counterparts as well. 

Companies should ensure women are paid fairly compared to male counterparts with similar skills and experience. Promoting workplace flexibility, including remote options and family-friendly policies, fosters a better work-family balance, helping women stay in higher-level positions. We prioritise an open, diverse culture, recruiting from a large talent pool, and offering programmes to retain female employees.

How do you think organisations can monitor and address these gender pay gaps, especially in these industries?

HR leaders play a vital role. They should conduct a comprehensive analysis of their organisation's pay data, focusing on gender disparities. Striving for pay transparency and openly communicating pay structures is key. Investing in a performance-based culture with clear metrics ensures fairness and values abilities over gender. 

Identified pay gaps should be addressed by adjusting compensation policies through collaboration with management and stakeholders. 

Equal pay for equal work is crucial. 

Transparent career progression and accessible development opportunities, irrespective of gender, encourage fair salary negotiation practices by recruitment and talent management teams should be looked at. 

Addressing unconscious biases in hiring through developing and promoting pay practices is essential for an equitable work environment.

What role do skill development and training play in breaking stereotypes and unconscious biases, not only among leaders and employers but also among colleagues working with women?

Studies show companies with diverse management teams have nearly 20% higher revenues than less diverse ones, proving the importance of initiatives such as training and development. We have several programmes. A leadership development programme, SUAG, inspires and develops female talents, linked to our goal of fostering diversity and inclusion. SUAG provides individual support through board member dialogues, career workshops, and Accelerated Development of Employees Potential and Talent (ADEPT) workshops, focused on female talents, Mentorship, access to development opportunities, and guidance on vacancies are key components. Heightened awareness through unconscious bias training helps address biases that hinder inclusive decisions. Initiatives like these promote women at different levels, conscious efforts reaping benefits for organisational success.

How can flexible work arrangements accommodate the needs of women employees who are caregivers?

I came across a survey where almost 94% of respondents said work flexibility would benefit women. Workspace flexibility and breaks are gaining importance post-COVID, benefiting both employees and employers. Flexible work hours allow employees to adjust schedules for personal commitments, avoiding unnecessary leaves for small commitments like child or elderly care. These opportunities facilitate a better balance between work and caregiving responsibilities, promoting engagement and willingness to go beyond duty. Allowing remote work, either at home, or caregivers' homes, can make a significant difference. Promoting work-life balance retains employees, and enhances happiness, and engagement for a better workplace.

Certainly, post-COVID, employees want their voices heard and incorporated into organisational policies. Let's talk about mentoring and sponsorship programmes. 

What mentoring or sponsorship programmes should be in place to encourage inclusivity?

Mentoring and training programmes are vital. The "Shift Up a Gear" (SUAG) programme prepares women for leadership roles. ADEPT workshops offer mentorship, development opportunities, and guidance on vacancies. Monitoring and reporting SUAG participants' career development ensures commitment. Focus on hiring more female employees is maintained through culture-building interventions like the buddy programme, settling women employees into the organisation and addressing unconscious biases. DHL's programmes, like "DHL4ALL" and unconscious bias training, address biases and foster inclusivity. The concerted efforts of such programmes promote inclusivity at all levels.

When discussing a diverse workforce, do you believe regional content holds significance today? And how have you integrated it into the mentioned programmes?

Adaptation is key to any intervention. We possess the flexibility to tailor programmes to our culture and the organisation's needs. While we receive substantial global support and direction from DHL, we also enjoy the freedom to implement programmes practically and pragmatically, accounting for cultural sensitivities. Striking a balance matters as approaches that work for one culture might not for another, such as our country. 

Customising initiatives with cultural sensitivity is crucial. Maintaining an open and inclusive workspace enables discussions with line managers, addressing their questions regarding the necessity of hiring more women. It's essential to address these concerns while upholding a performance-driven culture.

A focus on pay-for-performance and rewarding results guides organisational decisions, devoid of biases related to gender, age, or other factors. Addressing this culturally ensures we're an employer of choice and foster a great work environment.