The first step is admitting there is a problem. The next step is figuring out how to tackle it. Apparently when it comes to assessing gender equality in the workplace, we have a big problem with perception versus reality.
The World Economic Forum says the global economic gender gap is widening. Considering common hurdles such as women getting paid less and not receiving equal career advancement opportunities, the WEF experts estimate it’s going to take more than 200 years to close the economic gender gap, Quartz reports.
Honing in on the United States specifically, things don’t get much rosier. The 2017 Women in the Workplace study found women are underrepresented at every level in corporate America. More and more companies are making statements about their commitment to gender equality, but change is slow, and one of the main reasons is many people have blinders on.
“When it comes to how women and men see the state of women and gender diversity efforts, there are striking differences. Men are more likely to think the workplace is equitable; women see a workplace that is less fair and offers less support. Men think their companies are doing a pretty good job supporting diversity; women see more room for improvement. Given the persistent lag in women’s advancement, women have the more accurate view,” the study states.
The research found American women face career difficulties from the get-go. Fewer women are hired for entry-level positions than men. With each step toward career advancement, representation of women drops even further. We are at the point where nearly 50 percent of men think women are well represented in leadership in companies where only one in 10 senior leaders is a woman. What’s perhaps even more shocking is a third of women think they are well represented when they see one of their own among a 10-member senior leadership team.
Is this really the standard we want to set as acceptable? One out of 10?!
It’s time for a change, and companies must start doing things differently in the new year. Remember, the first step is to admit there is a problem. Consider the numbers, conduct employee surveys, explore people analytics, and take a long look in the mirror. The next step is to strategize and implement efforts to support change. Make 2018 the year gender equality becomes a priority at your company. Then, put your money where your mouth is.
