WOMEN’S EMPOWERMENT

Questioning the androcentric bias helps in understanding the gendered nature of social
locations, activities, and identities. Gender as a socio-structural phenomenon exists at the
level of social institutions, practices, and everyday social interaction.
Studying Sociology of Gender has helped me develop critical social imagination, grasp the
connection between biography and history, and recognize my social location as a woman. An
appreciation of the course has also aided me to acknowledge the importance of diversity of
perspectives, and how intersecting social identifications influence our perception of social
reality.
The ‘Gender Question’ also underlies my motivation to pursue Management. The evolution
of fair and gender-just practices within the sphere of Management is the gateway to ensure
holistic development of the organization as well as the individual performer.
Advantages. In ILOs Report on a Business Case for Change (2019), a gender balanced
workforce and gender inclusive culture could lead to
a. Higher profitability and productivity
b. Attract and retain talent, effective underutilized diverse and enlarging talent pool of
women (gender diversity dividend)
c. Creativity-innovation-openness
d. Enhanced reputation of the firm
e. Better gauge consumer interest and demand as diverse workforces can mirror
consumer profiles
f. The inclusion of female experiences might help in overcoming the ‘gender data gap’
that is encountered in the process of managerial decision-making.
g. HBR DI also talks about how there is a jump in stock prices as a firm wins an award
for diversity initiatives.
h. Ensuring equal opportunities, and that the organizational culture is not dominated by
one gender might ensure the creation of a more responsive and responsible
workspace, not just for women but for all.

What can enterprises do?

a. Recruit, retain and promote diverse gender-talent. According to HBR, there was a
positive correlation between hiring a gender diverse workforce and performance,
wherein hiring was the cause and performance its effect, and not the other way.

b. However ‘adding women’ approach is not the only positive driver of change. Skill
and executive training. It improves the skill of the participant, but ultimately improves
the workplace itself. De-biasing trainings, Reflexive Training
c. Ensuring psychological safety is important as it leads to an ease of communication
within the organisation, as the members become comfortable in voicing their
opinions. Female agency needs to be accounted for when formulating protective
legislation. Hesitance may become a barrier. Positive dissent within an organisation
only leads to more participatory DM.
d. Traditional Leadership behaviour involves control, corrective action and
individualistic decision making. According to HBR, Inspiration, participatory
decision making, setting expectations and rewards, people development and
modelling are more important. In an organisation, when only traditional leadership is
awarded, it could lead to imposter syndrome among female employees who exhibit
more of non-traditional leadership traits. Thus there is a need to promote a broad
range of leadership traits. Highlight traits for each individual so that they can build on
them. Seek participant feedback on how the organization's culture helps or hinders
them. Building trust could help the organisation and firm reflect its commitment
towards encouraging diversity of perspectives.
e. Need for self reflection and introspection to be endorsed within the workspace
f. Maternity Leaves, and Flexi-working hours
g. Mentorship Programmes
h. Remote Work
i. Re-entry Programmes
j. Managerial responsibility for supporting and promoting these measures i.e.
accountability.
k. Gender diversity needs to be regulatory, but also needs to have normative acceptance.
The effect of diversity is context dependent, however as the global business is
becoming more supportive of women, there is an increased possibility of a positive
feedback loop.
2020 Executive Order on Combating Race and Sex Stereotyping. The order states that,
“…training that promotes race or sex stereotyping or scapegoating…promote[s] divisiveness
in the workplace and distract[s] from the pursuit of excellence and collaborative
achievements in public administration.” The parts of “traditional” diversity training that some
people find objectionable stem from critical race theory. In addition to the objections listed
above, the first part of the exercise made assumptions about which types of adversity matter
(in this exercise, race did and other forms did not), and reduced it to a point system. The
second part of the exercise took whatever variation in point totals existed and flattened it into
a binary, race-based set of haves and have-nots. one that explicitly recognizes the range of
perspectives people bring to sensitive and controversial issues.