Day: August 2, 2023

Gender equity is best defined as respecting all individuals without any discrimination, irrespective of gender. It also includes tackling gender inequalities which restrict the abilities of people to get access to opportunities for better education, economic opportunities, and health on the basis of gender. Implementing gender equality in the workplace is not only about ensuring higher diversity and inclusion, but also ensuring equal opportunities through fostering an inclusive work environment and taking collective action to address gender gaps at work.  Challenging Gender Stereotypes Ensuring gender equity at the workplace is only possible through challenging gender stereotypes. Here are some points worth noting:  Ending Violence Against Women Ending violence against women is a giant leap towards gender equity and ensuring a healthy environment for everyone. Here are the key aspects to be kept in mind:   Empowering Women in Leadership Empowering more women will positively impact overall economic growth in any country. Here are some points that may be noted in this regard:  These efforts, even if suitably executed, will only be a drop in the ocean. The truth is that we are still a long way off from basic gender equity and the concept of equal opportunities. The boy’s club or glass ceilings still prevail to an extent where we recognise and fete a few examples of those who break them/into them. FAQs What strategies can corporations adopt to close the gender pay gap and ensure equal compensation for all employees? Corporations can adopt several strategies to close up the gender pay gap and ensure equal compensation. They should be transparent regarding income slabs, bonuses, and incentives. Men should be encouraged to take parental leave.  Childcare help should be provided to both men and women. Remote working should be encouraged whenever necessary and of course, payment slabs should be solely on merit and job duties.  What initiatives can companies implement to provide equal opportunities for career development and advancement for women? Some of these initiatives include revamping onboarding processes to be more inclusive and tailoring jobs to fit candidate profiles without taking the opposite approach. Companies should make sure that both men and women have access to the same leadership development programs and build discrimination-free managerial/decision-making cultures.  The ratio of men to women should be evaluated periodically while the working environment should be safe. Coaching and mentorship should be available for women without any discrimination.  How can organisations create and enforce policies against gender-based discrimination and harassment? Companies can create policies against gender-based discrimination and harassment through drawing from applicable legal statues. They should enforce these policies through offering helplines/options to reach out for reporting such cases. There should also be safe spaces, neutral and external conflict resolution and monitoring, law enforcement links and coordination, proper employee harassment and discrimination cells, and so on.  How can we leverage technology and digital platforms to advance gender equity and bridge the digital gender divide? Digital platforms and technology can be leveraged to form communities and groups for help and assistance, along with swift emergency outreach. They can be used to build safe spaces to document, record, and report grievances. They can be leveraged for swift coordination and supervision, courtesy of external authorities. Technology can also be used as a great leveler, with regard to helping women find equal opportunities for career growth within the organisation.