Elston HR

International Women's Day: HR Strategies for Promoting Gender Equality

It is important to think about both the progress made and the obstacles that still lie in the way of attaining gender equality as we commemorate International Women's Day, especially in the workplace. In addition to being morally right, gender equality is also strategically important for your business.

Prioritising gender equality will help your organisation to perform better financially, innovate more, and engage your workforce effectively. Nonetheless, despite notable advancements in recent times, gender inequalities continue to exist in numerous businesses across the globe.

There is still more work to be done to guarantee equal opportunity for all employees, regardless of their gender. From the gender pay gap to underrepresentation in leadership posts there are many issues that need to be tackled.

HR plays an important role in undertaking gender equality initiatives within organisations. By putting into practice smart HR strategies, companies can build inclusive workplaces where everyone has the chance to achieve based on merit, not gender.

At Elston HR, we have a team of seasoned facilitators who have years of experience in helping countless organisations create a healthy and thriving work environment.

If you want to know how to promote gender equality in the workplace, continue reading. Equipped with years of experience in guiding organisations, we have come up with a list of three HR strategies you can implement to promote Gender Equality this International Women's Day!

Let’s check them out!

1. Start from Recruitment

The first step in creating a bias-free workplace is to be mindful of gender equality policies while hiring. The first and most important step is to eliminate the idea of gender roles.

Carefully chosen wording that promotes stereotypes or preconceptions should not be used in any job descriptions. Additionally, hiring decisions must not be influenced by personal information like an applicant's age, marital status, or family responsibilities. On the other hand, waiting to gather this data until after the candidate is appointed ensures a fair assessment based only on performance.

To further rectify the recruitment process, make a diverse recruiting panel for leadership roles to promote impartiality in final decision making. Including people with diverse gender identities on these panels guarantees a more broad viewpoint and encourages fair results.

Through these practices, your organisation can create a culture in which skill and talent are the only factors that determine an employee’s success. In honour of International Women's Day, let’s aim to establish inclusive workplaces right from the start of the hiring process.

2. Build A Culture In Which Everyone Feels Included and Appreciated

Encouraging a work environment where each person is respected and feels included is essential to achieving gender equality. Good leadership sets the base for establishing a work environment where everyone feels valued.

To begin with, you should schedule frequent gender equality training sessions. These workshops help reveal unconscious biases and emphasise the need to appreciate all genders.

Another brilliant idea is to host open dialogues, such as roundtables or forums on the occasion of International Women’s Day. These activities will give your staff members a platform to debate issues related to inequality based on gender and offer solutions.

Besides this, you can organise programmes for acknowledgement which are essential for giving everyone a sense of worth. These programmes should aim to reward achievements at all levels and put more emphasis on talent than gender.

3. Promote Flexibility and Work-Life Balance

It's important to emphasise on International Women's Day how providing flexible work arrangements can promote gender equality in the workplace. Establishing an inclusive workplace requires acknowledging that employees manage many different kinds of responsibilities outside of the office.

Businesses can lead by example, offering flexible work schedules, part-time positions, or remote work. Everyone benefits from these decisions, but women particularly so as they can traditionally bear the weight of household tasks and child-related responsibilities.

Additionally, having a good parental leave policy is also essential. When mothers and fathers get equal support, it breaks down old stereotypes and encourages shared responsibilities at home.

However, it's not just about having these policies on paper. Your managers and other leaders should be trained to understand and respect their team members' needs for flexibility. Focusing on results, rather than just working hours may be a more open-minded solution.

When your organisation makes flexibility a priority, it's a win-win situation for all the members of the organisation. This will not only promote gender equality but also boost employee happiness, retention, and productivity.

Contact Elston to Promote Gender Equality with Effective HR Strategies

To create a healthy work culture, establishing and promoting gender equality in your organisation is extremely necessary. Creating a workplace where everyone feels respected and empowered, no matter their gender, boosts morale, productivity, and innovation. It also helps attract the best talent to your company.

At Elston HR we can help you create policies and strategies that challenge biases and promote equal opportunities for all employees, ensuring a workplace where everyone can grow.

Besides this, we also offer tailored programmes on unconscious bias and help create an inclusive work environment. Our experienced facilitators offer great expertise, empathy and a commitment to driving positive change in your organisation.

Along with conscious bias training, we offer services like e-learning, employee well-being, senior leadership training, managing people, absence management and much more.