08/22/2017

Increasing Women in Leadership Roles

Stop focusing on the numbers; examine the quality and skillset of the employees you hire

We’ve seen significant strides in overall workplace gender equality. That’s the good news. The bad news is that there is less significant progress in diversifying senior-level positions in recent years. There is a disconnect between giving women a seat at the table and allowing them to actually lead the discussion. This does not bode well for the bottom line either. According to a Grant Thornton study, the United States, India, and England are losing out on $665 billion in profits by not having women executives.

My nonprofit, 1,000 Dreams Fund, works closely with young women who are at the early stages of pursuing their professional goals. They are budding leaders with much to offer the corporate world, but even once they get that famous foot in the door, the odds of reaching executive status are still stacked against them. With a more comprehensive approach to recruiting, hiring, and promoting, companies can better develop gifted female employees into those prominent leaders of tomorrow.

Start by Recruiting Leaders…From Diverse Places
When recruiting at the college level, many companies fall into a routine of only showing up at certain universities. As a result, you’ll receive identical-looking resumes from identical-looking people. That’s not to say those applicants are subpar, but you’re inadvertently shutting out uniquely qualified people who could be exactly the employees your company needs.

Please click here to read the complete article on Training.