In
recent
years,
we
have
witnessed
a
growing
movement
to
improve
gender
equity,
diversity
and
inclusion
in
the
workplace.
Times
are
changing,
“traditional”
roles
in
the
workplace,
at
home
and
in
society
are
evolving
at
a
rapid
pace,
alongside
the
technological
advancements
that
enable
them.
The
tech
industry
I
entered
over
two
decades
ago
was
predominantly
male,
Caucasian,
middle-to-upper
class
and
higher
educated.
Today,
businesses
are
realising
the
importance
of
fostering
gender
equity
for
an
inclusive
workforce
and
starting
to
reap
the
benefits
that
come
with
it.
In
order
to
make
further
progress
and
promote
a
sustainable
shift
to
equity,
there
is
a
fundamental
first
step
that
leaders
must
embrace:
listening
–
to
every
voice,
at
every
level.
Listening
promotes
understanding
I’ve
worked
in
the
people
space
for
a
long
time,
and
the
more
I’ve
been
involved
in
diversity,
equity
and
inclusion
(DEI),
the
more
I
realise
the
importance
of
listening.
Leaders
must
recognise
that
DEI
cannot
be
achieved
using
a
top-down
approach
and
instead
work
with
colleagues
and
employees
to
understand
their
lived
experience,
what
is
important
to
them
and
why
it
matters.
Establishing
employee-led
resource
groups
provides
a
platform
for
women
to
drive
their
professional
success.
Equally,
promoting
employee-led
resource
groups,
panels,
mentorships,
and
workshops
helps
leaders
to
gather
valuable
insights
on
what
to
prioritise
and
improve
on
as
an
organisation.
Understanding
informs
action
A
key
benefit
of
active
listening
is
that
it
helps
reveal
unconscious
biases,
where
employees
may
unknowingly
promote
unhelpful
stereotypes
through
their
actions
or
use
of
language,
which
can
negatively
affect
those
around
them.
This
experience
can
start
before
an
employee
even
walks
through
the
door.
For
example,
consider
how
the
wording
in
a
job
description
or
how
an
interview
is
conducted
may
deter
someone
from
applying
for
or
accepting
a
role.
Organisations
can
create
a
structured
interview
process
with
diverse
panels
that
allow
candidates
to
be
interviewed
by
someone
with
a
shared
social
identity,
creating
an
equitable
employee
experience
that
starts
even
before
the
onboarding
process.
Identifying
and
resolving
unconscious
bias
is
an
ongoing
process
that
should
be
actively
promoted
and
supported
to
encourage
full
employee
engagement.
Companies
need
to
ensure
that
there
is
fair
representation
at
every
level
to
create
a
sense
of
belonging
and
empowerment.
If
this
is
not
possible
due
to
staffing
issues,
then
an
external
facilitator
could
assist.
A
sustained
program
like
this
can
help
leaders
and
employees
discover
their
own
biases
and
how
these
may
affect
others.
It
can
also
educate
participants
on
tools
to
address
the
bias
and
empower
them
to
make
decisions
that
promote
a
more
equitable
and
inclusive
culture.
Creating
work/life
integration
The
pandemic
and
its
lockdowns
created
a
new
opportunity
and
challenge
for
gender
equity.
The
rise
of
hybrid
work
has
lowered
geographical
barriers
and
provided
businesses
access
to
a
more
diverse
pool
of
candidates.
Women
who
may
be
balancing
work
with
other
roles
in
the
family,
such
as
primary
caregiver,
may
now
have
the
flexibility
of
working
from
home
and
accommodating
other
commitments
around
traditional
business
hours.
However,
this
new
way
of
working
has
also
made
employee
engagement
harder
in
some
cases,
as
leaders
may
not
have
opportunities
to
interact
with
employees
in-person.
Relying
on
structured,
virtual
meetings
can
make
the
interactions
feel
more
formal.
This
also
reduces
the
ability
to
read
body
language,
which
can
be
a
helpful
indicator
when
trying
to
establish
understanding
and
may
end
up
causing
misunderstandings
if
the
connection
is
unclear.
To
promote
a
vibrant
virtual-first
model
that
embraces
equity,
leaders
need
to
be
creative
in
how
they
engage
employees.
Virtual
team-bonding
activities,
education
sessions
on
virtual
communication
and
candid
catch-ups
between
employees
can
all
help
support
listening
and
understanding.
Most
importantly,
employers
need
to
understand
that
women
need
work/life
integration
–
not
just
balance.
Women
want
their
full
lives
to
be
seen
and
taken
into
consideration,
and
as
a
result,
companies
must
foster
a
flexible-first
approach
that
enables
employees
to
work
where
they,
as
an
individual,
work
best.
The
future
of
gender
equity
Organisations
must
continue
to
embed
gender
equity
within
their
global
strategic
pillars
and
core
values
to
ensure
it
is
in
everything
they
do.
By
incorporating
DEI
training,
diversity
sourcing/recruiting
training,
and
diverse
interview
panels,
companies
can
mitigate
bias
within
the
interview
process
and
create
an
equitable
employee
experience.
In
the
coming
years,
more
businesses
will
work
to
embrace
equity
not
only
among
women,
but
also
women
of
colour
and
women
with
diverse
abilities
and
women
from
different
socioeconomic
backgrounds.
All
women.
While
this
will
undoubtedly
be
an
ongoing
process,
if
we
start
from
a
place
of
listening
to
learn
and
grow
together,
then
we
have
the
opportunity
to
achieve
long-term,
sustainable
change.
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