COVID-19 has caused economic chaos; the next few months will be tough, with many firms fighting for survival. Giving genuine power to competent women makes sense; when you need your very best people to steer the ship through exceptionally stormy waters, and you want to retain that talent, you have to adopt forward-thinking and enlightened strategies. Rebecca Hourston, managing director, Global Head of Women’s Leadership Programs, Talking Talent, shares the misguided view of female leadership in a pandemic and how it needs to change.
It is interesting – for those of us who have spent years explaining why female leadership is essential – to note that it has taken a lethal, highly infectious disease to trigger the large-scale economic and behavioral change that might, eventually, improve women’s lot at work.
The lighting speed of the change wrought by COVID-19 contrasts sharply with the decades of glacially slow progress that preceded it. For years, women have waded through swamps of established thought (and prejudice). We have juggled our work with the demands of home and/or caring responsibilities, shown the same commitment to presenteeism as our less-encumbered peers, and maintained our dignity as our requests for a career-enhancing role to be flexible or part-time were dismissed.
Will COVID-19 really change this?
There are reasons to be hopeful. Suddenly, there is a market for innovation, and this has had the effect of promoting – dare we say it – genuine flexibility and inclusivity.
At least for now, while it’s useful.
In the wake of the pandemic, suddenly it seems we can work from home, we can use technology to free ourselves from the ties of presenteeism and other established processes, we can flex our schedules – without compromising outcomes, and in some cases even improving them.
But is it all as good as it looks, and can it last?
The pandemic has not been all about freedom and flexibility for women. Guess who took on most of the burden of homeschooling while continuing to work? There is a risk that despite these steps forward, women continue to be sidelined due to social expectations and broader responsibilities. That’s why, right now, businesses must prioritize female leadership.
COVID-19 has caused economic chaos. The next few months will be challenging, with many firms fighting for survival. Giving genuine power to competent women makes sense. When you need your very best people to steer the ship through exceptionally stormy waters, and you want to retain that talent, you have to adopt forward-thinking and enlightened strategies.
But during any crisis, there is a tendency to fall back into established patterns of thought and behavior, even if they are unhelpful or self-sabotaging. Let’s explore this idea by comparing some of the most commonly encountered but misguided thinking with the thoughts of someone who is on a mission to achieve workplace greatness.
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Prioritizing Female Leadership: Misguided Thought vs. Mission-Based Approach
The following are some of the commonest misguided stances I have encountered with my own “on a mission†response to prioritizing female leadership in the workplace.
1. The democratic workplace
Misguided: “At a time like this, it’s important to show we are democratic and that we do not favor particular groups. We need everyone to stick together – we don’t want to risk dividing them.â€
On a mission: History shows that at times of crisis, underrepresented talent is too often lost. For example, many female workers are now carrying the dual burden of work and homeschooling. If they don’t feel supported at work, at least some will leave. They might be your best workers and hard to replace.
So, holding on to “democracy†at any price may cost you dearly. You might lose the progress you’ve already made in developing female and other workplace minority talent and lose ground in terms of diversity and breadth of leadership. All of this is terrible for your business. Diversity improves business processes and outcomes. Don’t put that at risk, especially during economic turbulence.
Also, talk of democracy in these terms ignores the fact that your workers don’t all start from the same point. Women are still the largest pool of underrepresented talent in the corporate world, and women, particularly women of color, are disproportionately affected by the pandemicOpens a new window . To overlook this is the opposite of democratic.
It also costs the business dearly when women leave, and firms are at high risk of losing female staff right now. The cost of a worker leaving ranges from 16% of salary for low-paying roles to more than 200% for executives. That’s money organizations can’t afford, and if they don’t support women, the risk they will lose multiple female employees (and incur multiple losses) increases.
Further, it may be that the emotional intelligence and “soft skills†associated with female leadership are precisely the skills organizations need right now. Many of the countries coping best with COVID-19 are led by womenOpens a new window .
Learn More: How the Coronavirus Has Negatively Affected the Gender Wage Gap
2. The workplace on a budget
Misguided: “COVID has caused chaos, and now we have multiple, competing budget priorities. There is no government regulation on gender pay gap reporting, so we can save money by cutting our women’s leadership development program.â€
On a mission: During an economic crisis, if your organization is genuinely committed to improving gender balance, it will show. If you have been dishonest about it, that will show, too. Your behavior under pressure will speak to your honesty, integrity, and values. Your staff, investors, and others will be watching, and their impressions will last beyond the pandemic. Backtracking now because it’s an easy way to cut costs may cause irreparable reputational harm to your business and your brand(s).
In financial terms, even if cutting costs saves a few bucks in the short term, shelving your commitment to gender equality, even temporarily, could reduce your resilience and waste the resources you’ve already invested.
Learn More: 5 Key Ways New Leadership Can Turn a Company Around
3. The reluctant workplace
Misguided: “Now is not the time to go on about gender equality and balance in the workplace!â€
On a Mission: Yes, it is. Now, more than ever, people understand the need for change. They are actively seeking new ways to work and challenging what was previously accepted. Momentum on this scale is rare – don’t waste it. We may never have a comparable opportunity to shake things up and improve workplace outcomes for millions of people and organizations.
The pandemic has given us the chance to leave a legacy for future generations – the legacy of better, more diverse, and representative leadership. This is precisely the time to get serious about female leadership. Any organization that doesn’t have an inclusive leadership program really needs to establish one now. It doesn’t have to be a major undertaking.
4. The seemingly inclusive workplace
Misguided: “We’re all in it together.â€
On a mission: It would be nice if that was true, but it’s not. The disproportionate burden placed upon women (particularly those from minority ethnic groups) by the pandemic gives ample proof that some have been more badly hit than others. Different groups are experiencing very different degrees of pain.
Thanks to COVID-19, exhaustion, and burnout have become depressingly common amongst women, many of whom are forced by the pandemic to work, care, clean, teach, iron, work, cook, shop, and then work some more, day in and day out for months. For some, an end to this situation is still not in sight.
It is common sense that employees in that position should be prioritized if they are to stay connected to their career goals – which are likely to coincide with those of the organization they work for.
The Last Word
COVID-19 has devastated lives and economies, and for many, it has made life harder. But it has also presented us with a new appetite for flexibility and opportunities for lasting change. It has given us a rare chance to act and to make a lasting difference.
Diversity will drive business survival – and from there, success – if we let it. And that is why this is the moment to push forward, prioritize female leadership, and make real progress in enhancing both organizations and individual lives through genuine gender diversity.
Do you think now is the best time to encourage and ensure female leadership across organizations? Why or why not? Share your thoughts with us on LinkedInOpens a new window , TwitterOpens a new window , FacebookOpens a new window .