There has been progress in addressing gender inequality at work, but many women still have to deal with bias that favours men regarding promotion and skills development.
“Gender equity is not just a women’s issue, it’s a human issue. Progress has been made but there is still a long way to go to achieve gender equity in the workplace,” says Lyndy van den Barselaar, MD of ManPowerGroup South Africa.
“By encouraging diversity and inclusion, providing support for a work-life balance, addressing unconscious bias, pay equity and providing leadership opportunities, organisations can help woman achieve their full potential.”
She advises:
Companies need to commit to making measurable progress in improving gender equity and tracking that progress;
Make it a goal to get more woman into first-level management roles;
Help all employees develop technical skill sets that will make them eligible for new roles; and
Woman value flexibility, so companies wanting to attract high-quality woman need to provide options
