All talent is equal
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Gender parity is a hot issue these days and rightly so. As an individual manager, what can you do to ensure you treat all the talented people in your team equally and fairly?
1. Is there an imbalance in who undertakes admin chores?
Recent research suggests far more women than men are doing ‘housekeeping’ jobs at work. Not because they are keen to but because, in the absence of volunteers, they feel obliged to step forward and be helpful. Is this true of your team? Do you unwittingly accept, with relief, offers from women in the team to take on those admin roles that are unexciting but necessary, which will take time away from more positive career building opportunities? Review the situation and if you find this is true, rebalance it. Such duties are most fairly distributed when organised on a rotational basis, so everyone contributes.
2. How do you help your team structure their development plans?
Do you encourage women to be bold and take on challenges which will push them outside their comfort zone or do you unwittingly feel protective and that you shouldn’t push them too hard in case they feel bullied or stressed? It’s a tough call – should you challenge them on how much of a stretch they could take on or simply accept their decision that now is the time to balance career aspirations with responsibilities outside work? Instead, when career opportunities arise think carefully about how you offer these out, whether in public on a ‘first to speak up first to get it’ basis (which plays to highly competitive extroverts), or on a one to one basis looking at who would benefit most from the opportunity, who is a little behind the front-runners and deserves an opportunity to catch up.
3. How open are you to flexible working – for men and women?!
Too many of us caught up in the ‘9-5’ routine, especially when we are not primary carers. We assume attendance in a given office where we can be seen, is a must at all times! However, technology increasingly makes flexible working – both in terms of location and hours – feasible. As a good manager, you should be measuring outputs over inputs in any case. So, really question whether you are allowing the flexibility that’s possible and needed by your team, so you ensure you both retain and develop their talents wherever they are ‘sitting’.
4. Performance and pay – ouch!
This is really tricky, especially if we work in organisations with discretionary bonus and pay schemes. Do you analyse the value of people’s contribution equally, giving equal weight to the outcomes achieved? Are you swayed by individual style? Or, do you subconsciously believe men need to earn more than women? Some people are great at talking up their achievements whilst others don’t realise how important it is, thinking they’ll be seen as braggarts if they do. Women are particularly poor at this – too many believing if they just get on with their work they’ll be noticed. So be honest and ask yourself how well you know what each team member has achieved and what support they’ve given to help others achieve important goals before deciding on any discretionary rewards.
5. Are there ‘double standards’?
What unwritten rules apply in your team or across your division which, on reflection, might be termed ‘double-standards’? Is straight talking an asset for men AND women? Do you sit in meetings where an idea is proposed by a woman and disregarded only to be re-stated later by a man and deemed a great contribution to be considered carefully? Again, there is research to suggest this is a common phenomenon. Next time you sit in a team meeting make sure someone else ‘Chairs’ it so you can sit and watch and listen to the interactions taking place. If you see people are treated differently and unfairly – call it out. Make the changes required before talented individuals decide they would be better off working for someone else.
6. Finally, do you value diversity and difference?
Do you enjoy working with people who challenge your ideas and perspective, or do you prefer working with like-minded people? Strong teams will include free-thinkers, people who will speak out and challenge assumptions, question the status-quo, ask the awkward questions. Managing such people may be uncomfortable sometimes but the experience will be worthwhile, and you’ll attract more talented people to your team.
TAKE AWAY
Gender parity may feel like a pay issue only, something HR needs to deal with. However, all managers have a part to play by ensuring people are treated equally and fairly and, like many things, this starts right in their own teams. So, ask yourself the questions above – challenge yourself about your attitudes, assumptions and behaviours and, if you don’t like the answers, call yourself out and be the change.