Gender diversity is not just a buzzword; it's a strategic imperative for organisations aiming for sustainable success. Despite mounting evidence of the benefits of having women in leadership roles, progress towards gender parity has been uneven. HR leaders across diverse industries are acknowledging the challenges faced by women and taking proactive steps to foster a more inclusive and equitable workplace. For details, watch the video:

Focus on diverse candidates

Barbara Matthews, Chief People Officer, Remote, suggests sourcing candidates from a diverse group for all roles, in order to get a wide array of perspectives from the start.

“Multifaceted efforts since the recruitment stage including clear and transparent communication, focusing on career and development, and taking care of compensation and rewards help address the gender pay gap and the barriers faced by women in the workplace,” says Matthews.

Inclusion must be a priority

To address the challenges faced by women such as work-life balance, biases at the workplace, and the absence of female leaders who could be their role models, Chandrani Sen, Head of HR India Tech Hub at Mastercard suggests organisations must consider inclusion as their priority.

“We must devise policies and priorities to bring this diversity agenda into practice. Research shows that diverse teams bring better innovation, better collaboration, and in the end better productivity and overall contribution to the organization’s success. She also emphasises that it is very essential to support each other irrespective of gender to create a truly inclusive workplace.

A professional programme is needed

There has been a remarkable shift in women’s representation in any organisation, says Reshma Kajal Bara, HR Business Partner at Bacardi India. However, an equitable and inclusive workplace is yet to get the desired pace. According to Reshma, the pay gap, lack of mentorship opportunities, and societal expectations weigh heavily while overcoming barriers to the leadership of women.

Citing the example of Bacardi, she emphasises having a leadership program to help women empower, excel, and achieve their professional goals.