100 years of women's progress – what’s changed in the workplace?

Today, marks 100 years since women in the UK achieved the right to vote. The women’s movement has come a long way since then through social, political and legislative changes. There are a record number of women in work, holding some of the most powerful positions in business, politics and religious institutions, yet we’re still seeing huge global unrest.

Although men and women are entering education and work in equal numbers, women continue to be under-represented in executive leadership and the gender pay gap remains stubbornly around 18 per cent.

So what’s the problem? What’s next for the movement? What are organisations doing or not doing to create more balanced and equal workplaces?

It’s still a man’s world

Since the 1940s, when droves of women entered the workplace, they can now be found working at all levels in industries and occupations that have traditionally been male dominated. This has not come without challenge and, where women are still out-numbered, there are many cultural and structural barriers left to dismantle.

Only last month, I heard of a manufacturing employer that wished to increase the number of women in its management team yet the company didn’t have a female or unisex toilet and Page 3 calendars were a common sight on the walls of the shop floor and main office.

In other industries, the barriers may be less obvious but no less damaging. We know women are still under-represented at board and executive level. Although these numbers have been increasing, there has been little change in the number of women holding executive positions, suggesting serious obstacles for those rising through the ranks. From our own research (pdf), we’ve found that one of the leading issues is male-biased culture with some women describing their experience as needing to put armour on before they come to work.

Male-dominated cultures underpin structural barriers, that mean policies and work practices designed by men are likely to then favour men. We’ve found that women reach a point in their career at the senior management level, where they get fed up with the presenteeism and power play and begin to disengage if they are not being heard, valued or passed over for opportunities.

It’s no surprise then, that companies around the world are losing their best and brightest female talent.

The good news, everybody’s talking about it

When I started my work in the gender campaign over five years ago, there were times when it felt like I was speaking Martian when I talked about gender balance and the ‘leaky pipeline’. We’re certainly talking about gender much more; and not just in Government and business circles. Discussions of the gender pay gap and sex discrimination have become part of mainstream conversations and the daily newsreel.

It’s depressing and uncomfortable but the more we publicly call out and hold to account individuals and organisations for acts of discrimination and inequality, the closer we’ll get to a better society for both men and women.

But more importantly, I’m encouraged by what I’ve observed in my day job. Diversity and inclusion (D&I) is fast rising to the top of the business agenda and not just words on a webpage. Last year over 300 CEOs of the world’s leading organisations pledged to advance D&I in the workplace and to publish what they’re doing. In the UK, Harvey Nash and over 125 other organisations signed up to the Tech Talent Charter commitment to improving gender equality in Technology.

I’m very proud to work for a company that has such a long history of supporting D&I through its networks, events, research, partnerships and working with government. We’ve done more than most, not because we had to, but because it’s the right thing to do. We’ve also learned a tremendous amount about culture change through our own journey to become the first recruitment firm certified for the National Equality Standard (NES), a rigorous accreditation for diversity and inclusion by EY. We’re very much still on a journey.

We see ourselves at the table with our clients learning and sharing ideas and solutions. I’m excited to be at the helm of this next chapter, working with colleagues across the Group to launch Inclusion 360@Harvey Nash. Our aim is simple, to join the dots between our external and internal initiatives and help our clients create better balanced and inclusive workplaces so that they harness the brilliance of all of their employees.

The time for action is now

Thankfully, I come across fewer and fewer companies that haven’t got a clue where to start. I always say, start somewhere and start small. If you need ideas from what others have done, our diversity podcasts provide some great examples from some trailblazing business leaders. For the very time poor, I’ve summarised the best tips from our The Balancing Act report on how organisations can support female progress.

Ensure that there is a level playing field and that everyone has an equal opportunity, not just those that happen to look similar or have attended the same schools or sporting events. It’s about being comfortable with being uncomfortable and recognising your own biases and how they might be influencing the practices and processes of your organisation and management.

Ask yourself – Are promotions based on objective and quantifiable criteria? Do you have formal and informal networking opportunities, including social activities that are not just outside working hours? Where are the women in your company? Are they visible and do they have a mentor or sponsor?

Correcting for bias and improving the culture and practices within an organisation doesn’t just help women. Men are just as likely as women to welcome flexibility, more effective leadership, more transparent career development, coaching and mentoring, claiming such things would increase motivation, productivity, commitment and loyalty to an employer. When companies design inclusion into processes and the culture, everyone benefits.

Will we ever be equal

I’ve seen a lot change in just five years but let’s not forget we’ve still not closed the gender pay gap and the Equal Pay Act was enacted over 40 years ago… But like 100 years ago, the flame is still very much burning and women (and men) are growing restless. It will be very interesting to see the aftermath in April when companies with 250 or more employees publish their pay gaps. It's time for transparency and for companies to take much more responsibility for the equality within their workforce.

What fills me with hope is the new generation who are using new and emerging technologies and platforms to dismantle traditional hierarchies and institutions. We’re living in a ‘call out’ society and let’s hope that movement continues until it is no longer needed and the last bastion of the old guard falls.

Want to join our movement?

As part of Inclusion 360, throughout 2018 Harvey Nash will be hosting events across the UK, creating podcasts and releasing inspiring best practice guides to help organisations create more inclusive workplaces. If you'd like to attend an event, find out more or have a great story to tell please get in touch: [email protected].

About the author

Amanda Ciske is Associate Director at Harvey Nash, leading in areas of Diversity and Inclusion for the Group. Before joining Harvey Nash to lead communications and engagement for its Inspire and Engage networks, she worked as a Policy Advisor at the Recruitment and Employment Confederation with a focus on D&I and the role of the recruitment industry. She played an influential role in shaping the UK Government’s best practice code for executive search firms as part of one of the eight recommendations made in Lord Davies’ 2011 gender equality report.