Strength in diversity - for better business resilience, empower women in their careers

With pandemic recovery on the horizon, the resilient companies of the future will cultivate a workforce that is reflective of the customers and communities they serve.

Creating an environment in which all employees can thrive is all the more important given the rise of new barriers to women in the workforce during the pandemic. According to McKinsey, one in four women considered downshifting or even abandoning their careers as a result of COVID-19 measures due to increased domestic responsibilities.

For better workplaces and a more equitable society, business leaders have a responsibility to empower women to further their careers. This is something that I’m particularly passionate about because, unless we can bridge this divide for the future, our daughters, and the generations of women to come, we will still have gender inequality within our workplaces.

Creating a flexible working environment

The traditional nine-to-five in the office is dead. It's important that businesses learn from the pandemic to create workplaces that inspires connection, balance and equality. Recognising employees' different roles and situations, supported by collaborative technologies, means that they can explore what's possible in terms of flexible working arrangements. After all, we've all had to work in different ways over the course of the pandemic, so know it can be done. Some simply don’t need to come into the office every day; others might not need to be office-based at all.

Businesses can also reconsider their real estate, to facilitate an environment that better suits employees' needs and new working habits. Ultimately, the future of the office can be a greater place for human connection and a hub for collaboration.

Ensuring representation at every level

The greatest challenge to advancing gender equality in the workplace, particularly in the technology industry, is addressing women’s under-representation in emerging roles, such as cloud computing, engineering, data analytics and AI. With a focus on improving skills and reskilling, workforce strategies must ensure that women are better equipped to take advantage of the opportunities that the digital economy offers.

Everyone needs to be given the opportunity to participate in the new digital economy and people are looking to companies to play a leading role in preparing the workforce for the future. We are moving to an all-digital work-from-anywhere world: some jobs will go away, new ones will emerge. In turn, the digital skills gap has accelerated, and reskilling is now a worldwide priority.

To truly build a workplace that looks like society, women need to be represented at every level, particularly on corporate boards and C-Suite positions. Supporting women at all stages of their careers, through mentorship, sponsorship, investing in leadership development programs and inclusive promotions processes, will bring more women to the decision-making table and inspire more to rise from the ranks.

Providing sustainable support for parents

In an all-digital work-from-anywhere world, businesses have an even greater responsibility to create an equal and inclusive environment that translates both in-office and virtually. If flexible working arrangements are not implemented with care these changes put at risk hard-won progress in the fight for pay and workplace equity.

Creating a two-speed workforce in which women choose to work at home and men go back to the office will only put more pressure on women to take on domestic responsibilities. As we normalise women in the workforce, we must normalise the concept of men at home.

Businesses must rethink how they can provide sustainable support for working parents, many of whom lack access to affordable and universal childcare. When it comes to wanting to have children, businesses must support and not punish parents for taking time off and also support them in their journey back to work.

To build more resilient organisations and effect real change post-pandemic, equality must be at the centre of everything we do. Beyond implementing internal employee policies, as leaders we must use our voice, to engage with governments to advocate for sustainable support, for a more equitable workplace and society for everyone.