There is still plenty of work to be done in order for us to start seeing an equal ratio of women to men in leadership positions. The good news is, there’s a lot you can start doing now to make this possible. Full Article on LinkedIn
For starters, companies can focus on removing bias from the hiring equation. Here are some ideas, including removing names and personal information from resumes and setting strict business targets to ensure diversity.
Companies like Airbnb are even putting their employees through unconscious bias training in order to create a more diverse and workforce.
With a competitive salary have such a big influence on women’s career decisions, Pat Wadors, LinkedIn’s Head of HR, believes that increasing the level of transparency and honesty in the salary negotiation process will remove some of the biases women face and provide them with fair compensation. In addition, new equal pay laws in some states make it illegal to ask candidates their current salary in an attempt to level the playing field for women who are paid less than their male counterparts.
Flexibility is also key - especially for mothers - and some companies like Netflix are giving new parents unlimited paid time off the year after they have a child. If you can’t do that (which many companies can’t) simply giving employees the OK to work from home some days and manage their own schedules can make a huge difference.
Lastly, make sure every single female employee has access to a mentor who can advocate for them. Start by assigning new hires with a mentor who is in a leadership position and ideally works in a similar field to the new hire. You can make sure the mentorship lasts by requiring a monthly meeting between the mentor and mentee to touch base on goals and what’s working and what’s not.
This is just a start and companies will need to strive to encourage the next generation of female talent in order to reap the benefits of a diverse workforce. Talent Blog by Samantha McLaren on LinkedIn.
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