26 jan A more gender-diverse workplace? Provide flexible working
A more gender-diverse workplace? Provide flexible working. It’s our mission to help organizations to achieve a more equal male/female ratio. We’re tackling excuses, and we see up close why women in leadership roles are underrepresented.
A gender-diverse workplace starts with flexible work arrangements
Besides fundamental structures and biases, there is one practical matter that is often lost sight of and that prevents women from opting for leadership positions. Actually, it’s very simple; in most cases, the needs and wishes of women are not taken into account.
Women are thriving on their own terms
For us, there’s no ‘lack of ambition’ or ‘doubts about the abilities’. At Femme Works we often meet highly educated women who want to go ahead. A challenging job at a high level with a lot of responsibility? No problem. But on her own terms.
Do you know what often makes a difference for women to choose a new position? Flexible working arrangements. This refers to the ability to have a flexible schedule, work from home, do meetings online, and acquire (maternity) leave options. The possibility to balance their work and (busy) personal life is a must to get started somewhere.
Create a women-friendly work culture
With a good policy, you can create the right working conditions for an inclusive and diverse workplace. Wouldn’t it be a shame if a woman with a young family takes a step back because flexible working is not facilitated? Unfortunately, this is still often the case.
Flexible working has taken off enormously during corona. But this does not mean that all challenges are gone. Although flexible working is increasingly normalized, in 2022 we see that many companies are falling back into old patterns. Companies need to understand that flexible working is a prerequisite for a more gender-diverse workplace. In the end, it will benefit the entire organization.
No part-time, but flexible work
Experience shows that women in leadership positions often feel extremely responsible for their jobs. Take it from us that if a woman is given the freedom to manage her own time, she will do everything she can to do the job successfully.
With a flexible work schedule, the demand for a part-time job is automatically smaller. At Femme Works we even recommend that you hold a top position full-time, especially in the first years. Otherwise, the hours will most probably be made anyway.
Conclusion: Choosing Flexibility = Choosing Diversity
We understand better than anyone that flexibility is a significant factor for women to decide to get a job. In practice, we see that many candidates are attracted to Femme Works, because they identify with this point of view.
In conclusion, flexible working can have a positive impact on a company’s diversity and inclusion efforts. It’s a part of our mission to convey the importance of this message to organizations. As a result, we will be able to appoint (even) more women to top positions in the future.
Do you need help with the recruitment of female (executive) candidates within your organization? Feel free to contact us.