4A's Talent@2030: Want More Female Leaders? Be Flexible!

quotFlexibility is the new currencyquot Kaplowitz said at the 4A39s Talent2030 conference where she held a frank conversation with Howard titled Flexibility Driving the Future of Female Leadership quotCompanies need to be much more open to listening to what their people need and delivering on itquot she addedThat problem grew over the last couple of years During the pandemic many women suffered career setbacks While juggling demands of work family and health concerns some women have been forced out of the labor market while others have struggled for visibility and promotionsCiting a MetLife survey Kaplowitz said half of all women said the pandemic negatively impacted their career while one in five women said they39d been pushed out of the workforceTo help women recover and be better prepared for the next crisis companies need to evolve Howard said quotHow can we look at trends and how can we look at how work works today and take those lessons and move to the futurequot she askedOne answer is to listen Kaplowitz and Howard encouraged agencies to survey female employees about what they want and need to be successfulFor instance Howard said women have been asking for remote and hybrid work for years but many companies were slow to respond The pandemic forced their hands creating the flexibility many women desired She also urged companies to limit afterhours engagements which can alienate working parents who feel forced to choose between their families and work eventsTo attract more talented women she said employers should turn to newer work models including gig workers and then extend to them the same corporate supports such as training talent development and HR benefitsquotWe need to understand why workers are moving to different ways of work and how we can fill those gaps and needs by changing the types of work we offerquot she saidWhen companies are attuned and responsive more women will advance up the corporate ladder That39s the goal Currently however women are woefully underrepresented in the CSuite There are even fewer women of color in leadership positions According to Howard in 2020 85 of corporate leaders were white men and currently only 7 of Fortune 500 companies have a female CEO Among Black women only three females have ever helmed a Fortune 500 companyquotThe disparity is real and those of us in these situations have the power to impact changequot she saidEmployers need to combat systemic pay inequity On average women in the US earn 82 cents compared to every dollar a man earns according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics Employers should be blind to gender Howard said quotIt doesn39t matter if it is Mary or Mark in the job it should be 39Here is what we pay39quot she declaredCompanies can improve their diversity equity and inclusion DEI by rethinking the talent recruitment process In job interviews women and people of color are often handicapped with inappropriate questions and disparities Howard noted An interviewer might pointedly ask a mother how she39ll juggle the demands of children and the job In other instances there is overt wage racial and physical discrimination Those actions put women and people of color at an immediate disadvantage over white malesKaplowitz and Howard recounted their own experiences with discrimination Earlier in her career when Kaplowitz was close to landing a new job she was asked to produce a W2 tax document to prove her previous salary Once when Howard was up for a big promotion a manager told her she39d have to change her dreadlock hairstyle if she wanted the position Hiring managers Howard said need to be more empathetic respectful and thoughtfulNow that schools have reopened and office life is resuming some women are trying to reenter the workforce But they may face a new obstacle explaining gaps in their employment Kaplowitz urged employers to give these women a chance quotWhen you look at a resume it doesn39t tell the true story of someone and their background and their experiences and what they39ve enduredquot she saidAt the 4A39s Kaplowitz said the organization recently rehired a woman who had worked there earlier in her career took time off to be a caregiver and then reentered quotShe39s been fantasticquot Kaplowitz said quotShe kept herself busy and kept herself interested and she was ready to jump back inquotOf course not everyone39s experience will be so smooth Some women trying to return will be passed over or underpaid Companies and organizations including The Mom Project39s Rise program are trying to help with job training or quotupskillingquot programs which help women learn or update skills necessary to advance their careers Select employers are offering quotreturnshipsquot for women to train for new positions or advancementquotCompanies need to focus less on skills and more on potential capability and invest in those peoplequot Kaplowitz advised quotI think that39s a fantastic reminder of what they need to doquotClick the social buttons to share this story with colleagues and friendsThe opinions expressed here are the author39s views and do not necessarily represent the views of MediaVillagecomMyersBizNet

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4A's Talent@2030: Want More Female Leaders? Be Flexible!

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Alli Romano

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