Improving gender diversity not only helps organisations to improve their performance but also benefits societies and economies. Gender diversity at the top improves organisational performance. Despite research showing mounting evidence of the benefits of having women in organisation, the progress has been patchy, and in some cases, the pace of change has not been compatible with the positive evidence.

Women continue to encounter barriers or challenges when seeking leadership positions within an organisation. However, some organisation is putting their efforts into addressing these barriers and working to create a more inclusive environment for aspiring leaders.

People Matters spoke to HR leaders of diverse industries to understand the challenges faced by women and how they are trying to address the issue. For details, watch the video:

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 programme to help women empower, excel, and achieve their professional goals.

Inclusion must be a priority

Chandrani Sen, Head of HR India Tech Hub at Mastercard, says that work-life balance, biases at the workplace, and the absence of female leaders who could be their role models are some of the challenges women have been facing.

To address the challenges faced by women, Chandrani 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 organisation’s success.” 

She also emphasises that it is very essential to support each other irrespective of gender to create a truly inclusive workplace.

Focus on diverse candidates

Barbara Matthews, Chief People Officer, Remote, suggests focusing on addressing barriers faced by women employees right at the recruitment stage. “At Remote, we source candidates from a diverse group for all roles that give us a wide array of perspectives from the start,” says Matthews.

She also suggests having multifaceted efforts including clear and transparent communication, focusing on career and development, and taking care of compensation and rewards to address the gender pay gap and the barriers faced by women at the workplace.