Empowering women at work: Insights + actionable steps for HR + people leaders

In the modern workforce, creating a diverse and inclusive environment is essential. A recent McKinsey report about women at work holds valuable business insights and tips. We’re breaking this vital information into an easy-to-understand guide to help HR and people leaders make fundamental changes.

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Empowering women: Tracking + supporting progress

Companies need to pay attention to the numbers to make workplaces better for women. Here's the lowdown:

• Measuring and keeping score: It's vital to track how women are doing in hiring, promotions and staying in their jobs. Measuring and tracking outcomes is essential for achieving gender diversity.
• Seeing the whole picture: Companies should look at the data by race and gender to identify any differences, especially for women who belong to more than one minority group.
• Keeping everyone in the loop: Companies should share their diversity goals and numbers with employees to ensure everyone works together. Transparently sharing diversity goals fosters employee engagement.

Actions for HR + people leaders:

• Measure women's progress in your organization, comparing race and gender across hiring, promotions and retention, to uncover disparities women of color face.
• Offer training on understanding and using this data. It can help companies make their workplaces more equal and diverse.
• Foster a culture of transparency by sharing diversity goals with employees.

Download our DEI holiday calendar

Managers: The key to change

Managers are central to fostering DEI and employee wellbeing. But they don't always get the proper support. Here's what we've learned:

• Making roles clear: Companies should tell managers what's essential in their jobs, like helping employees grow, being fair to everyone and supporting diversity.
• Skills training: Managers need to learn how to do their jobs better, like managing remote teams or promoting diversity. Practical manager training should be concrete, relevant and ongoing.
• Time and tools: Managers must have the resources and time to excel in their roles. Companies should ensure managers have the time and tools to do their jobs well.
• Performance reviews: Companies should ensure managers know that diversity and fairness are essential. Provide training for managers on how common biases can impact performance reviews to make them more equitable across the organization.

Actions for HR + people leaders:

• Define managers' responsibilities regarding career development and DEI.
• Regularly educate managers on essential skills and core concepts.
• Provide sample scripts for challenging conversations and standardized wellbeing assessments.
• Emphasize the importance of DEI in performance reviews and recognition.

Learn how you can foster belonging in the workplace

Dealing with microaggressions

Microaggressions can hurt employees and hold them back. Senior leaders should set good examples and educate employees about respectful behavior. Here's how:

• Leading by example: Senior leaders should explicitly communicate a zero-tolerance policy for microaggressions. Leaders should lead by example, addressing disrespectful behavior immediately.
• Educating everyone: Regular bias and allyship training for employees can reduce unintentional harm.
• Creating a culture of openness: Companies should work to create a culture where employees feel safe talking about these issues.

Actions for HR + people leaders:

• Develop a code of conduct outlining respectful behavior.
• Offer regular training and refresher courses on bias and allyship.
• Create an environment that promotes open discussions about microaggressions.
• Provide conflict resolution and allyship training for all employees.

Download our DEI holiday calendar

Optimizing flexible work

Women's ambition is thriving, fueled by flexibility. Women are equally ambitious as men and flexible work arrangements have influenced their career aspirations. In recent years, flexible work has become more common, but there are still some things to figure out. Here's what is important:

• Managing expectations: Companies need to tell employees what's expected regarding flexible work.
• Adapting over time: As workplaces change, companies should monitor what's working and what's not. They should be continuously measuring the impact of flexibility initiatives.
• Fairness for all: Companies should ensure that working from home or having flexible hours doesn't hurt anyone's career. Managers should also get training to treat everyone fairly, no matter how they work.

Actions for HR + people leaders:

• Communicate flexible work expectations to employees.
• Evaluate the effectiveness of flexible policies and make necessary adjustments.
• Redesign performance reviews to focus on results rather than when and where work gets done.
• Train managers to eliminate flexibility stigma.

Fixing the broken rung for women

The "broken rung" is the real challenge for women's advancement. For every 100 men promoted from entry-level to manager, only 87 women make it. Fixing the broken rung means ensuring women have the same chances to move up as men. Here's how to start:

• Tracking everything: Tracking inputs and outcomes helps identify and address inequities in promotions. Companies should check who gets promotions, especially considering differences between races and genders.
• Being fair: Companies should make sure performance evaluations and promotions are free from bias.
• Helping women of color: Tailor career development programs to address biases and barriers women of color face.

Actions for HR + people leaders:

• Track promotions by race and gender to identify disparities.
• Remind reviewers about potential biases in performance evaluations.
• Assign a "bias monitor" to keep evaluations focused on core criteria.
• Develop career programs tailored to the needs of women of color.

Empowering change for a more inclusive workplace

By addressing microaggressions, creating flexible work and ensuring equal opportunities, HR and people leaders can help their companies make meaningful progress.

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