From inclusive to profitable: 8 ways to support women at work

Women’s Month presents a uniquely South African opportunity for business owners to reflect on one of the most important competitive advantages discovered in recent years. There is strong scientific consensus that businesses with diverse workplaces are more innovative and profitable than those with homogenous teams, says Kgomotso Ramoenyane, executive general manager: human resources at Business Partners Limited.

A key feature of diversity in the workplace is a balance between the number of male and female workers. Research shows that the introduction of just a few women in traditionally male dominated work teams can have a positive effect on the flow of ideas, decision making and customer service of a business.

Changing the composition of a team can be a slow and frustrating process for business owners navigating recruitment in a country where skills are scarce. The key is to set it as a strategic goal, says Kgomotso. By doing so, business owners can explore a variety of targeted tactics to attract and retain excellent female talent, including:

Foster a culture of work-life balance: research shows that in most parts of the world, and certainly in South Africa, women often shoulder the majority of household work and childcare responsibilities. This imbalance is unfair and has real implications; many women are under immense pressure to leave work promptly in order to manage duties at home.Creating a supportive workplace that recognizes and respects this reality, will make your business more attractive to female talent but also foster stability and high productivity.

Offer flexible working hours: child-rearing responsibilities are easier for a working parent if they are allowed to take some hours during the day to attend school functions or doctor visits. Allowing your employee to make up for those hours in the evening or over the weekend can make a difference. Flexibility doesn’t mean a lack of structure, you can still institute core working hours, while allowing some ad- hoc leeway around the start and end of the workday, for example.

Consider hybrid work: while the return to office has gained momentum post Covid-19, occasional remote work remains a valuable productivity booster, especially for working parents. Business owners often worry about the effects of collaboration and output when working from home but setting up a reliable productivity tracking system for your business can help maintain accountability while offering flexibility.

Improve your maternity leave: Many businesses simply default to the legal minimum of providing for four months of unpaid maternity leave. However, even a small improvement on that, such as offering a portion of the employee’s salary during this period, gives your business a strategic advantage and might sway a star performer to work for you.

Have a clear workplace relationship policy: sexual harassment complaints and the complications of romantic relationships at the workplace can be greatly reduced by having a straightforward, clear workplace relationship policy.

Close the gender pay gap: research continues to show that women are often paid less than their male counterparts for performing the same roles. It’s essential to regularly review the remuneration of your team to identify any disparities. Taking proactive steps to close these gaps not only promotes fairness but also strengthens your business’s reputation and long-term employee loyalty.
Link up with empowerment programmes: Many industries have empowerment programmes specifically for women. By encouraging your female workers to participate, you are not only demonstrating a genuine commitment to their career development, you are also investing in the development of a strong, diverse leadership pipeline for your business.

Encourage open dialogue on diversity: The evolution of the workplace from monocultural to diverse spaces will be smoother and faster if all of the team members are aware of its benefits. Make your strategy of workplace diversity clear and create space for meaningful conversations that build buy-in.

Kgomotso Ramoenyane is our Executive General Manager for Human Resources and has been with our company for 6 years. People are at the heart of Kgomotso’s work and her ultimate objective is to assist individuals to do work that is aligned to their purpose. Kgomotso’s initial exposure to entrepreneurship was through observing her grandmother undertake entrepreneurial ventures in order to survive and take care of their family. True to her innovative nature, she has introduced a blended learning approach and executive coaching to our company. She is particularly interested in women and leadership development. Kgomotso is a mother and enjoys spending her time doing gardening, reading and going on hiking trails. She is our go-to-spokesperson for people management, human resource trends and female entrepreneurship articles.