Gender equality
Did you know that one of the main goals for companies and organisations is precisely to increase the presence of women in the workplace?
Today, we live in a fast-paced society. We engage with diverse perspectives, fostering inclusion and embracing diversity as a fertile ground for the world.
In the organisational landscape, the co-existence of different genders has become a source of enrichment across every business level and function. Today, having more “women on board” is proven by numerous studies to be valuable, strategic, and extraordinarily effective.
Higher female employment is not merely a matter of equality between sexes; it is above all a strength that has a deeply positive impact on the productive system and the economic fabric of a country.
At corporate level, the presence of women in leadership significantly increases profits, as evidenced by the International Monetary Fund.
Women in leadership: a misleading illusion
Compared to the past, women appear to be holding far more prominent positions. Their presence on the Board has certainly grown, but can we truly speak of gender equality?
The female presence remains consistently confined to roles with less executive authority than those held by men.
Some experts describe the journey of women to positions of power using the metaphor of a “LEAKY PIPELINE”.
This image illustrates the phenomenon where the number of women holding managerial positions drops significantly the higher up the hierarchy one looks.
Top-tier leadership positions and executive boards remain decidedly male-dominated.
Why is this? And where do gender quotas fit into this framework?
An article on diversity management by Irene Brusini shares several important insights drawn from the study: “Rethinking political representation. A new measurement of gender equality in political representation in the EU” developed by ISTAT.
It highlights an interesting reality regarding gender equality: today, gender representation among leadership is directly equated with the tool used to measure it: a number; specifically, the number of women holding positions of power.
This index is used in common perception to visualise the very concept of equal representation.
Yet relying solely on a number falls into the trap of one-dimensionality and skews our perspective.
The quantitative method has been favoured since the 1980s because it facilitates social research and policy practices, yet it carries clear, tangible limitations:
- Oversimplification can lead to a superficial analysis of complex dynamics.
- Contrary to the popular narrative that views quantitative methods as free from bias, they carry substantial political implications. As we will explore shortly.
- Organisations tend to adapt their behaviour strategically to achieve higher scores rather than focusing on genuinely addressing disparities and appointing the person best suited for the role.
Understanding the dynamic
At times, these metrics lead to inadequate “policy” responses and a failure to truly and deeply understand the dynamic.
What is missing is a more substantive analysis that does not overlook the interplay between systemic constraints and a more holistic view of well-being.
Often, the balance organisations strive to strike between genders is lost during the recruitment process, where women end up being hired solely to meet the minimum threshold of quotas mandated by legislation. This brings us back to qualitative insight.
This tool, created to ensure that all genders have the freedom to lead a fulfilling and rewarding life beyond work, has been misapplied: organisations have increasingly prioritised quantity over quality.
Naturally, this approach has reinforced ingrained biases against women, who find themselves hired for roles that may not match their skills, simply to make up the numbers.
As Mario Draghi noted regarding the appointment of women to political office: “True gender equality does not mean a superficial compliance with legal quotas: it requires that equal competitive conditions between genders are guaranteed. Otherwise, there is a risk that the selection of candidates becomes a mere box-ticking exercise.”
Why does this happen with gender equality?
Within organisations, the misleading belief persists that women are less focused on profit and more attuned to the social values of business operations.
How can such a fundamental dimension be regarded as important, yet not essential?
Numerous studies demonstrate that gender diversity and the unique values each individual brings to an organisation are an inexhaustible source of energy.
How can gender diversity and equality enrich an organisation?
We have seen that a strong female presence at executive leadership level helps generate higher operating income. Beyond this, there is a clear positive correlation between women in executive roles and the reinforcement of corporate values, alongside stronger alignment and commitment to the company’s mission and vision over the long term.
In exploring gender equality, the human and relational contribution that a greater presence of women brings to a business becomes strikingly clear.
Active listening and communication, mediation skills, thoroughness and diligence, purposeful leadership, collaboration and relationship management are all invaluable qualities that naturally emerge through female leadership and are in high demand in today’s Industry 4.0 landscape.
Once again, we invite you to reflect deeply, broaden your perspective, and embrace real accountability.
To look beyond the numbers, fostering genuine care, conscious attention, and meaningful awareness.
Because there is nothing more rewarding than aligning value-driven decisions with exceptional success.
