The first female leader of MI6 is, rightly, seen as positive, if overdue, progress for equality. Yet, the return of all-male shortlists in some industries is also evidence that, for every step forward for women in the workplace, we risk taking two steps back, argues Professor Geeta Nargund.
We all know that women face unjust barriers, both within society and the workplace. But, like many things, this issue is multi-faceted, sometimes with positive developments shining through, and others a disheartening setback.
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In the last few weeks, there has been news of the return of the ‘all-male’ shortlist within recruitment processes, right next to the more hopeful update of the appointment of Blaise Metreweli as the first female leader of MI6.
Clearly, progress is possible, but lack of tangible action is holding us back. The reality for most women is that barriers remain firmly in place as they try to reach the top of their profession.
In fact, our most recent Women Count report revealed that the number of women on executive committees in the FTSE 350 has declined for the first time in eight years to just 32%, underpinning a severe failure from businesses in proactively supporting female talent into these roles.
MI6’s move is positive – but there is certainly no room for complacency. Specifically, why has it taken so long for fact to catch-up with fiction?
James Bond did it first
It’s been 30 years since Dame Judi Dench first starred as ‘M’ in the James Bond series: the highest, most well-regarded role within the intelligence service. Bold, intelligent and the perfect fit for the job, Dench encapsulated the potential of women in this role. But why has it taken three decades for us to see this in reality?
Even Metreweli’s appointment has been met with such comments as ‘diversity hire’ and ‘get the right person for the job, not a woman’.”
Much of this could be attributed to our deeply engrained, backwards, societal and workplace culture that is still much more prevalent than many businesses would care to admit.
Even Metreweli’s appointment has been met with such comments as ‘diversity hire’ and ‘get the right person for the job, not a woman’.
Hiring should of course be based on meritocracy. But why is it that successful women continue to be labelled as ‘diversity hires’?
The fact is that, employers should give female applicants the same opportunities as their male counterparts. But even for those who do, issues often still arise when it comes to wider team culture, a lack of support and limited flexibility, all which affect the pipeline of future female talent, and the experience of those women in executive positions. This is where the vital role of HR comes in.
HR teams understand that work must be done to eradicate biases across the board, starting from recruitment and applied all the way through an employee’s experience; from performance management, progress reviews and remuneration; all of which are common ‘weak links’ in the chain that could result in women prematurely leaving their roles at points where their male peers are left to thrive. This can translate into fewer women in executive positions further down the line.
Even more fundamentally, HR teams should feel empowered to call for accountability from senior leadership teams, ensuring they are ‘leading from the top’ and setting a standard for expectations on DEI firmwide – an essential element of delivering tangible change.
All-male shortlists, all-female exclusion
Despite a step forward from MI6, it seems some City businesses have taken two steps back – as head-hunters have revealed a return to ‘all-male’ recruitment shortlists.
We need proactivity, and genuine and continued effort to stop the all-male shortlists in their tracks, and celebrate the appointments of successful women”
This is not in response to a lack of female talent. Rather, it is seemingly in response to the DEI backlash seen in the US, using this as an excuse to feed the ‘old boys club’ culture that is alive and kicking.
Not only is this culture damaging in that it solidifies the barrier for women attaining these roles in the first place, but it can also make it much harder for those who are already working in these positions and suffering from outdated processes and a lack of support.
The use of all-male shortlists ignores that fact that many women face unfair and additional burdens throughout their careers: many face the ‘woman tax’ in the form of additional unpaid responsibilities alongside their day-to-day roles; alongside the reality that caring responsibilities for family disproportionately fall to women.
Moral obligations and business wins
Sadly, the mention of diversity or gender parity can still be met with eyerolls by some: but that’s their loss. Diversity is not simply a box to tick, but is a strategic business imperative.
In fact, research reveals that companies with the most diverse workforces achieved a 29% higher return on assets than their least diverse counterparts, a figure not to be overlooked.
This makes the work of HR teams even more crucial, and whilst the increased revenue may be a driver for some businesses, I hope that common sense and fairness will prevail, and businesses will want to stand firm on DEI.
We need proactivity, and genuine and continued effort to really turn this issue around, stop the all-male shortlists in their tracks, and celebrate the appointments of successful women – and we need it now.
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