Gender Parity – Within the United Nations (UN), an intergovernmental organization that is diplomatic and promotes gender equality, it is a significant issue. The UN Charter stipulates that both women and men are equally qualified to be a part of the organization in all capacities, and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights affirms that no distinction nor discrimination is allowed based on gender.
Does Gender Parity in the Workplace Make Business Sense?
The UN is now a modern workplace where diversity is directly tied to improved operational efficiency and creativity, strategy, decision-making, outcome, and profits.
The talent pool is growing:
The UN is merely a demonstration that gender equality isn’t just an issue of fairness. It’s an advantage in strategic planning that leads to greater business benefits. It’s a good thing that the MENA region, specifically is set to procure significant benefits by closing the gender gap.
A study from PwC called “Women In Work: Insights from the Middle East and North Africa” illustrates that the region suffers losses of the staggering sum of $575 billion each year due to social and legal barriers to women’s ability to find jobs. Additionally, the company increasing the number of female workers across the Middle East, especially in Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, increases the pool of talent.
In the region, where countries are taking a proactive approach to incorporating gender equality into their national plans Progress is being made. The PwC study shows the majority of those who responded in the UAE 60% within Saudi Arabia, and 48 percent of respondents in Egypt are either completely or largely in agreement that national programs have been put in place to help women throughout their careers.
Better business results:
Why is gender parity important in the business world? Research has shown that teams that are gender diverse generally outperform teams with less diversity.
Based on both the global and GCC information teams that are gender – and geographically diverse, diverse make more effective business choices 87 percent time. Furthermore, 70% of job applicants and employees regard the diversity of their workforce as an important element when considering companies and job opportunities. Organizations that have multicultural as well as inclusive staff are 5 times more likely to develop and, in the GCC 70% of the top teams are more inclusive of women.
Strategies and policies should be established:
Despite these advances, obstacles persist. Social norms that are deeply rooted in gender stereotypes, gender roles, and the lack of assistance for women returning to work after job breaks are still barriers to the progress of many regions within the regions.
Research suggests that only 35% of companies within the GCC have formalized gender equity plans implemented however, only around 50% of survey respondents at the top believe that their leadership team is committed to gender equality.
Lockheed Martin, a leading global security and defense contractor, is an ideal role model, particularly for those in fields that have been long dominated by male executives. According to Colo, they have instituted various key policies that promote gender equality, including flexible work schedules, comprehensive mentorship and training programs, as well as specific recruitment and leadership training programs.
Recognizing that women — particularly engineers of women — are a key part of developing new technologies that are changing the world The company also offers initiatives such as inclusive internship programs. The organization has also developed strategic alliances with universities to help nurture the future generation of female STEM leaders.
Parity between men and women makes business sense. What can be done to obtain it?
The quest for gender equality is an extended road. But, the evidence is there that gender equality in the workplace isn’t only beneficial for society it’s also beneficial for business.
To improve business results, PwC argues that organizations should adopt a more information-driven strategy. Businesses should pay attention to promotions and conduct surveys to determine the progress of top talent in their career. In addition, exit surveys could reveal the reasons why people remain or leave. Being transparent about their findings is essential for creating an environment that is positive for employees.
