Sometimes, support and guidance are all you need to shine, according to talent acquisition and career counselling expert Samra Chekroum. Speaking on the gender gap in industry, Samra – who co-created BBold, a career and corporate consultancy focused on diversity and women’s empowerment – acknowledged the doubts and limiting beliefs that women face in the workplace, and how they can magnify the gender gap.
So how do women combat the gender gap in industry?
Samra’s advice is to be bold! Communicate well, negotiate with purpose, and get comfortable with networking opportunities.
In episodes 7 and 8 of Morgan Latif Presents, Oliver Morgan, co-founder and director of Morgan Latif, explores the gender gap in industry with Samra and Kristin Engvig, founder of global leadership initiative WIN, respectively.
How prominent is the gender disparity in organisations?
According to Samra, most women will only apply for a job if they match 80-100% of the criteria, compared with men, who only need 60%. The backlash from impostor syndrome causes women to be hard on themselves, to question their abilities and feel like they will never be good enough. This self-doubt destroys confidence and creates barriers that limit opportunities for women in industry, stretching the gender gap.
To help combat this gender disparity, Kristin suggests that the onus is on women to be mindful of the culture of patriarchy that’s been instilled in them.
So, how can companies bridge the gender gap?
“Over the last five years, the number of women on FTSE350 boards has increased from 682 to 1026, illustrating that greater strides towards diversifying the top UK companies are being made.” – HRreview
However, across the workforce, only 9% of women hold director, senior or managerial roles, suggesting that whilst some areas of industry are beginning to see the results of embedded diversity initiatives, others are yet to deliver authentic, measurable change.
Giving women more opportunities for growth and the ability to make a difference are powerful ways to strengthen their sense of support.
Both Kristin and Samra spoke about how companies should embrace diversity — especially in positions of power. By ensuring that a balanced number of women are placed in leadership positions, companies will be one step closer to bridging the gender gap.
It’s vital that leaders take the initiative to give everyone equal opportunities and to prioritise inclusivity, so more women can be given a voice.
Kristin acknowledges that masculine traits (like competitiveness and assertiveness) are often more valued than feminine traits (like empathy and intuition), but that both are needed to complement one another and achieve balance in the workplace.
Can more be done to encourage women to pursue careers in industry?
Women are often underrepresented in industry, and negative stereotypes about women’s intellectual abilities can deter them from ever considering this career path.
So how can women be encouraged to pursue careers in this field?
The key is to educate, and to start from a young age — with the right role models. That way, girls will grow to be confident, empowered women.
And as Kristin puts it, “Women’s empowered and inspired leadership is the key to a sustainable future and well-being for all.”
How do we attract more women into the sector?
Give them the opportunity to lead. Allow them to prove their credibility. Leverage their strengths. It’s a simple but effective formula to attract more women into industry.
If you’re serious about change, speak to us about our leadership and coaching service. This program will help you successfully transform internal culture, allowing your leaders and their teams to be their best selves and achieve peak performance.
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