Increasing Women's Employment in Organizational Leadership

Introduction

The importance of diversity in today's workplace cannot be overemphasized. An important aspect of diversity relates to gender diversity. Historically, the representation of women at the workplace has been significantly skewed, especially with respect to key organizational positions such as board chairperson, CEO, and senior management (Nielsen & Huse, 2010). Women are usually concentrated in administrative, clerical, and other less demanding jobs (Paludi, 2012). This is particularly true for the author's organization, where all board and management positions are currently held by men. This paper provides a plan for increasing employment opportunities for women at the organization. The plan specifically includes a rationale for the intentional employment of women in key organizational leadership positions, a strategy, and a profile for recruitment.

Rationale for Increased Employment Opportunities for Women

Whereas consensus is yet to be reached, research has increasingly demonstrated the benefits that may be brought about by having a balanced representation of both genders at the workplace. Research has particularly shown that organizations where more women are included in key decision-making positions tend to perform better compared to those without, or with skewed representation of, women (Nielsen & Huse, 2010). Though the exact mechanism through which gender diversity influences organizational performance remains unclear, it is argued that having more women in key organizational positions may enhance innovation and creativity, decision-making, reputation, governance, and employee satisfaction (Nielsen & Huse, 2010; Paludi, 2012).

In line with this argument, it is possible that the author's organization could be at a disadvantage as a result of locking women out of key decision-making positions — an organization where there is not even a single woman on the board or in senior management. Deliberate efforts must therefore be made to place women in top leadership and management positions.

Strategy for Gender Diversity

This plan recommends at least 30% representation of women in key leadership positions in the organization, especially on the board and in senior management, to be achieved within the next three years. A number of approaches can be used to achieve this target. First, two directors and one senior manager are set to retire or end their employment contracts within the next two years or so. The organization should prioritize women when filling these positions. The same approach should apply whenever a vacancy arises on the board or in top management, until the target is reached.

Most importantly, the organization should put in place incentives to attract, develop, and retain female talent. This may include improving work flexibility, providing paid leave for women, and offering equal pay for equal work (Paludi, 2012). These incentives would be important for nurturing the potential of the few women currently in lower-level positions in the organization.

Conclusion

First, a candidate must have training in leadership and management, a reasonably lengthy experience in a leadership or management position, as well as a proven record of performance. A candidate must also possess traits such as self-esteem, locus of control, and self-monitoring, which have been shown to be crucial for leadership and management effectiveness (Swanson et al., 2012).

In conclusion, it is important for the organization to deliberately recruit women into its leadership and management positions, which have traditionally been held by men. A greater representation of women in key organizational positions is likely to generate significant benefits for the organization in the long run.

Nielsen, S., & Huse, M. (2010). The contribution of women on boards of directors: going beyond the surface. Corporate Governance: An International Review, 18(2), 136–148.

Paludi, M. (2012). Managing diversity in today's workplace. Santa Barbara: ABC-CLIO.

Swanson, J., Kowalski, K., Gettman, H., & Lee, J. (2012). Leadership characteristics and Title IX: a possible mechanism for the impact of sports participation on work outcomes. International Leadership Journal, 4(2), 40–61.