Gender Equality Why Is It Important?

Is gender diversity important? Are organizations missing out if they don’t get the gender balance, right? Yes, and yes. In this modern age women are more than capable of pulling their weight and paving new paths in all sort of roles, and they’re very much capable of leadership and executive positions in our current male-oriented industries. Businesses that are still holding on to the archaic ideal of male superiority is not only holding back progress but also limiting their own success.

Despite their capability in the workplace women generate just 37% of the global GDP. This is an absolute waste of potential. However, these statistics don’t tell the whole story. Women account for 49% of the global workforce, but only a minuscule 10.9% of senior executives among the world’s largest 500 companies are women. This further displays the waste of potential at the highest level.

In the spirit of Women’s Equality Day,

here are some of the reasons why a gender diverse workplace is more successful, and why companies with a primarily male-oriented workspace are losing out.

Larger Talent Pool

Companies that aren’t as inclusive to women are losing out on 50% of the talented and qualified population. They’re severely limiting themselves, and thus losing out on productivity and potential employees.

A New Perspective

Women walk a different path in life, and that helps to define a different point of view. These different experiences may help to breed different perspectives which can be vital to success in the competitive office workspace. Having different perspectives help to ignite creativity and innovation in the workspace, and help organizations seize new opportunities.

Increased Staff Retention

Research has shown that a diverse workspace boosts morale and employee satisfaction. Women are more likely to choose to work at a job where other women are as well. In addition, they have a lower employee churn rate, which results in significant savings in the hiring and training departments.

Higher Job Satisfaction

A study by the Center for Creative Leadership and Watermark found having more women in the workplace improved job satisfaction for both women and men. In fact, organizations with a higher female representation in the workforce have reported higher job satisfaction, more organizational dedication, less burnout and higher employee engagement.

Improved Recruitment and Reputation

An inclusive workplace is an amazing recruiting tool – studies have shown that both men and women prefer a workplace with a stronger record on diversity. In addition, a diverse workforce helps develop a better relationship with concerned stakeholders as it demonstrates positive company values.