Equality in the workplace: work in progress

Diversity: Educating Rather than Imposing

No, the question of women’s positions in business is not just about the glass ceiling and wage inequalities. Their/our professional journey has many other pitfalls, such as the glass cliff or tokenism. Are these concepts unfamiliar to you? We will detail them in this article. We will not be pitting women against men, but we want to foster the (proven) conviction that companies that fully integrate diversity perform better.

Today, it’s not always easy to be a man in certain companies. You might be surprised that this article about equality begins from the male perspective. However, some feel that women or people from minorities are now systematically favored. There seems to be a trend towards this, leading men to feel pushed aside in the effort to positively discriminate towards women.

Fact check: false. The number of women in leadership positions within companies is still largely insufficient. A statistic? There are only 5% of women CEOs worldwide.

That said, mindsets are evolving, and the world is changing. That is a positive development.

The quotas 

The idea of quotas is not universally accepted. Sébastien, a manager in a digital company, states: “The issue of quotas leaves me perplexed. I understand the logic, of course. But on the ground, it raises a number of questions. In our agency, for everything related to coding, we almost only employ men. Not by choice, but because they are the only ones applying. We have advertised extensively to recruit women. I believe more in the concept of meritocracy than in quotas. It also raises another question: should I feel guilty for holding a managerial position in this company when there are almost no women?”

For Florence Blaimont, CEO of Wowo Community (an organization that supports women entrepreneurs through meetings and training), the positioning of women in business must be considered differently: “I have little faith in imposing rules or quotas for this type of issue. For me, one way to rebalance the mental load (which is the number one element hindering women in their careers) is to ensure that fathers and mothers have equal parental leave at the birth of a child. This would knock down many obstacles. Furthermore, I believe we should not offer women a place, but rather encourage them to take it! Surrounding them with support to encourage them to overcome their fear of trying and to step forward is essential. In my view, it makes more sense to educate rather than impose, and this will have a more lasting impact.”

This is an opportunity to reflect on the quote by American philosopher Ayn Rand: “The question isn’t ‘Who will give me permission to do that?’ but rather, ‘Who will stop me?’”

Tokenism: What are we talking about?

Do you know what “tokenism” is? Let’s explain it with a striking example of situations experienced by some women but not by men. In 2018, following the resignation of Uber’s CEO amid revelations of sexual scandals and harassment within the company, various women were approached. None accepted the position because they all understood that they would serve as a fig leaf for a complicated situation in terms of the company’s image.

Tokenism (from the English “token”) thus characterizes “the action of taking a person representing diversity and placing them on a board of directors, or in a high-level position to appear favorable.” A sort of facade solution.

In clear terms: appointing a woman to head a company accused of ignoring sexual harassment allegations was merely an excuse to make it seem like they were effectively battling the issue, even though that was not the case.

The glass cliff

This phenomenon of tokenism is not the only pitfall to avoid. You are likely familiar with the term “glass ceiling,” a metaphor expressing that women can advance in the corporate hierarchy, but only to a certain level.

However, you may not yet know about “the glass cliff.”

This relatively recent concept refers to the deliberate willingness to appoint women to positions of power when an organization or company seems to be in a deadlock, at the edge of a cliff.

• A recent example is Theresa May, who was chosen to lead the British government when England was undergoing post-Brexit trauma.
• It is also the case of Liz Truss, who served as British Prime Minister from September to October 2022. Another example?
• Sophie Wilmès, appointed Prime Minister in 2019 of Belgium, which was then without a majority and on the brink of political implosion.

These are three very visible examples in politics, but this phenomenon exists at all levels. 

The glass cliff is a process that has been studied and explained, particularly in 2021 by Clara Kulich, a professor at the University of Zurich. Her conclusion is that the qualities associated with leadership fall into two categories. There are “communal” qualities (listening, sensitivity, and empathy) and “agentic” qualities (determination, self-esteem, and charisma). Clara Kulich demonstrates that people tend to turn toward “communal” qualities in times of crisis. So rather than appointing a female leader, beware of gender stereotypes! Moreover, placing women in power when failure is almost guaranteed reinforces the idea that women are less competent than men and not suited for leadership.

Equality: the key to company performance

All studies on the subject demonstrate this. Greater diversity in companies, especially in leadership positions, leads to stronger growth, higher profitability, and better decision-making. Morgan Stanley and Goldman Sachs, alongside Harvard Business School, have recently published three studies. The results are unequivocal: team diversity improves financial performance, whether in venture capital management or investment banking. Even better: the stock market value of mixed-gender companies is higher than that of companies that do not favor diversity.

To quote António Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations: “Bridging the gap between women and men is not just a matter of justice for women and girls. It transforms the game for humanity as a whole. More equal societies are also more stable and peaceful. They have better health systems and more dynamic economies.”

No to the Excuse of March 8th

Every year, on March 8th, International Women’s Rights Day (not Women’s Day), some companies organize events. Flower distributions, reduced hours for women, cooking workshops (yes, really) or conferences. For or against?

While the intention is commendable, such events often miss the point. They also somewhat resemble what happens with greenwashing, namely when an organization spends more time and money promoting itself as environmentally friendly than actually minimizing its environmental impact.

We should not use March 8th as an excuse to implement a real strategy that takes into account the realities facing women. 

Gendered Work and Gender Stereotypes

Should we strive for a 50/50 ratio in all types of professions? For instance, the construction trades are extremely gendered (2% women). Similarly, caregiving or clothing trades (90% women) also exhibit this disparity. Is it a question of stereotypes?

Certain “technical” professions are also gendered. Cleaning roles are predominantly female, while transport-related jobs are mainly held by men (train/subway/bus drivers, pilots, car salespeople, drivers…).

While we can certainly talk about natural inclinations, a portion of this relates to stereotypes.

How do we break these gender stereotypes? Patrick Scharnitzky, a doctor in psychology and a specialist in the topic of stereotypes, suggests three points.

1. Conduct deconstruction work. For example, by highlighting female role models who have succeeded in various fields.
2. Apply equality of treatment to show that the company is neither sexist nor discriminatory.
3. Finally, he emphasizes the necessity of having an attractive employer brand in this area.