Lead the Change: 8 Simple Steps for CEOs to Support Gender Equality

Promoting and maintaining gender equality in the workplace is a crucial responsibility that rests upon the shoulders of over 58,000 CEOs across the globe. As leaders of their organisations, they must take the necessary steps to ensure that their workplaces are inclusive and equitable for all employees. 

If you're a CEO looking to start this, the following steps can be helpful.

Male CEOs, I am looking at you.

I am looking at men because they still hold most leadership positions worldwide. This statistic will likely fall into the 'no shit Sherlock' category for many people. However, given that 74% of CEOs are men, it stands to reason that they must be responsible for initiating the work required to make workplace gender equality a reality.  

The trouble is more men should step up to make workplaces work for women and other under-represented folks.  The work to improve workplaces for women and people from other underrepresented groups is undertaken by, you guessed it, women! Women invest twice as much time as men in driving diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives. 

The added kicker is that DEI work is rarely included in scorecards. As such, those doing this critically important work (women!) are seldom recognised in the performance review cycle. Can you see the problem?

It's Time to Move from Conversation to Action

OK, CEOs (et al.), it is way past time to move from conversations about workplace gender equality into action. The people in your workplace need to see a plan to advance women and create workplaces that work. This is going to take a combination of strategy and tactics. Here are your first steps. 

1. Make the commitment. There are approximately 58,200 listed companies in the world. At least 58,200 CEOs and countless other executives must commit to creating and sustaining workplace gender equality. Be visible, and be vocal about the organisation's commitment to gender equality.
2. Know the current state. CEOs must know as much about women's representation and lived experience in their workplace as they do about financials. If the organisation is not collecting data, then start now. 
3. Collect Data. It is important not to shy away from collecting data manually. While it may seem tedious, even a basic spreadsheet can be immensely helpful in gathering and organizing information. In fact, any amount of data is better than having none at all. So do not hesitate to roll up your sleeves and start collecting data - it will undoubtedly be a valuable asset in the long run.
4. Data Comes in Two Forms: Recognizing the distinction between qualitative and quantitative data is essential. Considering the perspectives of women colleagues in your workplace is highly recommended to gather meaningful insights. This approach can offer a valuable data pool and foster a more inclusive and diverse decision-making process.
5. Do the Diagnostic! Remember that the problems and opportunities must be diagnosed before solving them. Where are the issues for women? What is working well for women? What must the organisation do more of, or less of, for women?
6. Set targets. A successful business is all about targets and measures. CEOs must create a vision and a target state for workplace gender equality. They must measure the impact and progress against the target state. 
7. Assign accountability. Gain buy-in for a workplace that works for women from the leadership team. Hold the team accountable to be active and vocal advocates for gender equality and to deliver the strategy. 
8. Stay curious and keep listening. CEOs must remain respectfully curious and not assume they know all the problems and all the answers. They must be disciplined about regularly listening to learn.   CEOs who do this are the most successful in moving the workplace gender equality strategy forward, in my experience.   

So how about it, CEOs? How about leading the change to make workplace gender equality finally a reality? 

Sources:

https://pubsonline.informs.org/doi/10.1287/mnsc.2014.1901 

https://www.weforum.org/reports/global-gender-gap-report-2022/in-full/2-gender-gaps-in-the-workforce-an-emerging-crisis#2-4-gender-gaps-in-leadership-by-industry-and-cohort 

https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2022/10/female-leaders-male-work-diversity-equity-inclusion 

https://www.catalyst.org/research/women-in-management/ 

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