The percentage of women in the talent pipeline may have observed a hike in the past three decades, but the gender gap is still seen from entry-level to top-executive positions. Significant strides have been made in creating more gender-inclusive work environments, and yet there’s a lot to be done when it comes to including women in managerial and leadership roles.
To shed some light on how gender inclusiveness can help organizations grow, here are a few advantages that women leaders bring to the table…
Flexibility to workplace
Time has proved that women as managers bring in several positive changes allowing team members to learn and grow with each other. These positive changes allow employers to address issues like helping employees maintain a healthy work-life balance. Flexibility (childcare, work from home, elder care, etc.) comes as a product of a healthy work-life balance for both males and females and was hardly heard of before women entered the workforce.
Problem Solving
When we brainstorm with people of different genders, sexual orientations, and ethnicities we tend to work better. In a study when researchers asked top leaders about ways to increase the effectiveness of their workplace, they answered that the organization needs to start creating transparency and attention to promote women as Leaders to provide an outstanding base for the organization to grow.
Building Trust
Trust is quite a fragile thing in today’s high-visibility world, which easily implies that it’s become more important than ever to ensure that a company and its leaders act in an ethical manner. A senior Talent Acquisition executive at a renowned MNC mentioned that for any initiative, return om reputation- values and beliefs as an organization is as important, if not more so, as return on investment. By integrating and advancing both soft and hard skills, female leaders fuel the organization itself and drive sustainable growth.
Effective communication
Remember when Moms used to celebrate our birthdays with colorful ribbons and balloons? Mine would personally write a two-line invitation for all my friends. If experts are to be believed, women are great communicators as they respond more effectively to visual, verbal and emotional factors than men. A number of times it’s been observed that female employees aren’t comfortable talking about issues as freely to male bosses. Women leaders encourage team members to share their issues, advising them to encourage teamwork while maintaining professionalism.
Mentoring
Mentorship and nominations can be incredibly important for career growth and job satisfaction, so having an increased supply for any company can leave its employees on the edge. While studies have shown women having a more difficult time finding mentors, it is also observed that women make better mentors as compared to men.
A few decades back leadership was seen as masculine behavior. People have a notion that men make effective leaders. Maybe, they do. However, women leaders are more intuitive, understanding, persuasive, and work collaboratively to handle a team. There’s a fine line between being Authoritative and Participative as a leader. Women know how to juggle between the two.
