Supporting Greater Diversity and Inclusion at the Workplace
“Without doubt, increasing the employment and participation of women is not only the right thing to do, but also the smart thing to do for employers, societies and women of course. Their collective under-representation within the workforce constitutes a massive loss in productivity, which we simply cannot afford to continue to waste. Workplace practices need to change to encourage more women to enter and remain in employment. It’s not that the women are not ready for the workplace; in many ways it is the workplaces that are not ready for its women.”
Across most ‘emerging’ markets and many ‘developed’ countries, we are facing a unique paradox, where we are losing 50% of the female workforce at every step of career transition.
This is a significant lost opportunity for employers, the female workforce and the labor market. In addition to a lack of representation at senior levels, women are greatly under-represented in core businesses and technical roles across most industries and organizations. While its early days to fully assess the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on gender balance, this paradox is expected to be further exacerbated and accelerated, resulting in more women losing their jobs or opting out of formal employment and after the pandemic.
While there are some commonalities in creating and delivering leadership development programs, our research at Mercer Talent Enterprise has established that there are some critical areas of focus for enabling and empowering female talent at the workplace. These include:
Developing a comprehensive solution that caters to enhancing the skills of women in the workplace and building a customizable plan that generally entails three phases. Below is a brief illustration of the components for each phase and the estimated timelines.
1 Month
3-6-9 Months Programs
1-2 Month
Most times, I am generally comfortable with public speaking
From 26% to 78%
I have the information, knowledge and skills I need to develop in my career
From 53% to 100%
I am usually comfortable in disclosing about my genuine self at work
From 68% to 94%
I am aware of my strengths and areas of development
From 68% to 100%
I have developed the confidence to become more visible in the organization
From 42% to 100%
I am proud of my strengths and accomplishments
From 34% to 70%
I feel happier
From 56% to 100%
I have better relationships at work and in my personal life
From 52% to 82%
Partnering with DHL to deliver a built-for-purpose global women in leadership program, known as DHLforHer across Asia, Europe, Middle East and Africa. The 9 month program is based on our research on D&I, and includes immersive sessions on authentic leadership, business impact and leading for the future, as well as a TED style talks by participants to conclude the program.
Working closely with DXC Technology, a global USD 20 billion company with over 138,000 employees on their D&I agenda, including the design and delivery of their flagship SheLeads@DXC program with over 300+ women leaders, creating an eco-system for change.
Worked closely with CBD to design and deliver a customized women in leadership program for their senior most female leaders across the Bank. The program journey was 6 months and included 5 modules, and our signature TED Style talks.
Working with Dubai Airports supporting female inclusion and developing their careers. Now in its third year, we have worked with 100+ leaders as part of the Aspiring Women’s program, a 9 month immersive learning experience. Along with Dubai Airports, the program also included nominated participants from Dubai Police and Dubai Immigration.
Partnered with Al Rajhi bank to design and deliver a unique, and first of its kind, all women graduate program. The 12 month program focused on modules on topics related to Leading Self, Working with Teams, Workplace Essentials and the program was delivered completely in Arabic.
