Supporting women into leadership roles – Viewpoint by Katie Hodson

Katie Hodson, a partner in SAS Daniels’ employment team, understands the importance of creating a workplace environment that helps women excel in their careers by removing barriers and fostering gender equality. 

However, it’s not just about equality; it’s about prioritising equity to break down systemic barriers that women often face, creating a more inclusive and fair workplace for all.

Katie explains equity and shares practical examples of how businesses can support women in leadership roles, following this years’ International Women’s day theme of ‘Accelerate Action’.

What is equity?

Equity in the workplace means giving everyone an equal chance to succeed by recognising that people have different needs and starting points. Unlike equality, which treats everyone the same, equity acknowledges that some individuals face more challenges than others. 

To ensure everyone has a fair opportunity, equity involves offering support where it’s needed, such as additional resources, flexible working hours, or other adjustments to help employees reach their full potential.

Equity and women in the workplace

Women face various challenges throughout their lives and careers, and these challenges often lead to gender bias, unequal pay, and limited access to leadership roles. 

Achieving equity for women means addressing these systemic barriers by providing tailored support and eliminating both conscious and unconscious bias in hiring and career advancement.

This includes implementing policies that guarantee equal pay for equal work, expanding mentorship and leadership development opportunities, offering flexible work arrangements, and ensuring women are equitably represented in decision-making roles. Equity also requires fostering a workplace culture where women’s voices are heard, their contributions are recognised, and they have the same opportunities for growth and success as their male counterparts.

Practical examples for supporting women into leadership roles

Ensure equal pay

• Conduct regular pay audits to identify and address gender pay gaps.
• Set clear pay bands to make pay scales transparent and ensure fairness across genders.

Implement flexible working policies

• Offer flexible hours and remote work options to help women balance career and caregiving responsibilities.
• Ensure equal opportunities for parental leave for both men and women.

Support career development and leadership

• Develop mentorship programs where senior employees support women’s career progression.
• Provide targeted leadership training to prepare women for top positions.
• Increase transparency in promotions based on measurable performance and skills.

Adopt fair recruitment practices

• Promote inclusive job descriptions free from gendered language.
• Introduce blind recruitment processes to evaluate candidates based on skills and experience.
• Use diverse interview panels to reduce potential biases in hiring decisions.

Foster an inclusive workplace culture

• Offer bias awareness training to raise awareness of unconscious bias.
• Implement strong anti-harassment policies to ensure a safe and respectful workplace.

Encourage women’s participation in decision-making

• Aim for a gender-diverse leadership team.
• Create employee resource groups for female employees to network and advocate for workplace improvements.

Support women returning to work

• Introduce return-to-work programs to help women re-enter the workforce after time off.
• Offer mentoring to women returning to work after a career break.

Promote work-life balance

• Encourage regular breaks and use of annual leave to avoid burnout.
• Provide access to mental health resources and foster an environment where employees feel comfortable discussing mental well-being.

By implementing these strategies, employers can create a more equitable and supportive environment for women, helping them thrive and succeed in the workplace.

If you wish to discuss anything mentioned in this article or for more information on employment training and workshops, contact Katie Hodson on 0161 475 7670 or katie.hodson@sasdaniels.co.uk