Editorial
Over the last couple of years, there has been a lot of focus on diversity in leadership and diversity on boards. As part of these discussions and related initiatives, women in leadership and women on boards is a frequently highlighted topic. However, how can we highlight women in leadership and on boards if we ignore the continuing exclusion of women within certain industries, professions and workspaces?
While women have made some strides in advancing gender equity in the workspace, gaps still persist — in certain industries. While Canada has committed to gender equality, and the Government of Canada designates October as Women’s History Month every year, women in Canada still struggle with barriers to education, financial stability, access to equitable health care and the right to be free of all forms of discrimination. While these barriers still exist, inclusion for women in the workspace will be a struggle to achieve and sustain.
The History of Women’s Rights in Canada
Do you know the history of women’s rights in Canada? Women’s history in Canada has been a series of struggles and campaigns for human rights, including the right to vote, the right to education, the right to work, equal pay for equal work, sexual and reproductive autonomy, and the recognition of anti-racist struggles within the diverse Canadian feminist landscape.
While the journey towards women’s rights from the 1920s to 1970s predominantly focused on the right to vote, it also led to women joining the workforce in greater numbers, and the first women being elected to public office, appointed as judges and joining professions such as engineering and law. During that time, legislative reforms allowed married women to keep their wages and own some property separate from their husbands. Minimum wage laws were passed, and the law recognized some minor custodial rights for mothers.
Women in the Workspace
During a discussion earlier this year with a Black man who is a leader in the commercial construction and contractor industry (one of the few), we fell into a conversation about how women in the occupational health and safety (OH&S) and construction industry struggle with bias and discrimination. Some of the areas we discussed were:
- Access (or lack thereof) to women’s washrooms on construction sites.
- Safety concerns due to poor-fitting Personal Protective Equipment (PPE).
- Physical safety for women working alone and/or on remote sites.
- Sexual harassment.
There is more discussion and visibility starting to happen around this exclusion, noting that the barriers still remain for women working in this male-dominated industry. Women continue to be underrepresented here despite the creation of programs and roles, and organizations being tasked to advance gender equity. An exploratory report from The BC Centre for Women in the Trades, based on interviews conducted with employers and industry stakeholders, identified barriers that prevented these programs and initiatives from achieving their mandates.
In August 2023, the Ontario Government pledged $3.6M to train more women and young people as construction workers. However, this training initiative will also have to address the systemic barriers that exist in the industry to remove them and create sustainable access and success.
While I have primarily addressed the OH&S and construction industries, there are other industries and workspaces that create and maintain barriers for women, such as transportation, mining, policing and firefighting. Some other industries are addressed below:
- According to the Brookfield Institute, the technology industry in Canada still struggles to advance diversity, especially for women and racialized communities. Technology companies recognize the need for diversity to be successful, but need to accelerate talent sourcing strategies that tap into diverse networks, and develop onboarding and retention programs that create a culture of equity for all.
- Women are also underrepresented in the engineering profession and industry, despite making up more than half of the Canadian population. Despite steadily rising enrollment numbers in post-secondary education programs over the last several decades and in the engineering profession, men still outnumber women in engineering. The 30 by 30 initiative, curated by Engineers Canada has a goal to raise the percentage of newly licensed women in engineering by 2030.
Related Article: One More Result of the Pandemic? Women Are Leaving IT
Gender Bias in the Workspace
Organizations can move their workspace and industry forward and foster more inclusive, equitable environments for all if they start by recognizing the gender bias women still face. Here are examples of common biases in the workspace today:
'Women’s Work' Bias
Society generally undervalues work done by women, as shown by occupational segregation, in which one gender is overrepresented in a particular field or workspace. Another result of this “woman’s work” bias is that women often face stricter qualification expectations than their male peers, and managers consistently judge women as having less potential for leadership than their male peers.
Caregiver Bias
Our society continues to place the majority of caregiving responsibilities — for children and adults — on women. As a result, women are more likely than men to make tough decisions to leave or take steps out of the workforce by postponing opportunities for advancement, taking unpaid leave, scaling back hours, and seeking more flexible or inconsistent work, such as part-time work, contracting and freelance jobs.
Motherhood Bias
Mothers often face discrimination in the form of the “motherhood penalty.” Women who are mothers experience the following consequences of gender bias compared to women without children: lower compensation (part-time versus full-time work), fewer promotions and fewer job offers.
Related article: Interrupting Biases Beneath the Surface
Best Practices for Gender Equity
Barriers and discrimination will continue to exist if we do not focus on eliminating the structural and systemic roots of gender inequality still embedded in the workspace culture today. Strong leadership commitment is essential for equity and inclusion. As a leader, it is important to create an inclusive environment that:
- Allows for development by providing a safe space to ask questions, make mistakes and learn from them.
- Provides opportunities for growth that would not normally be available to certain individuals and groups within the workspace (i.e. with cross functional or collaborative projects).
- Listens to the needs of the individuals within the team and understands that each is unique and brings different ideas and experiences to the table that can foster innovative solutions.
As an organization, action is required to move forward with change, such as evaluating programs and processes to eliminate systemic barriers in the workspace. It’s also critical to implement mentorship and sponsorship programs that build opportunities, which are linked to successful and sustainable talent management, retention and succession planning strategies.
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Keep in mind that “one size does not fit all.” Understanding the demographics of the workforce and the diverse needs of people, genders, identities and cultures is key to developing an approach that incorporates intersectionality in gender equity initiatives in the workspace.
In addition, challenge the status quo. Ensure inclusivity and accessibility to opportunities and industries to promote gender equity and a place for women in the workspaces:
- Implement inclusive and accessible recruiting practices, such as providing flexible timing for interviews (i.e. after school drop offs, after dinner hour).
- Women often face stricter qualification expectations than their male peers, often referred to as “woman’s work” bias. To mitigate this bias, ensure that the criteria identified for the role are specific and important.
- Provide opportunities for developing into a role with the understanding that women may not have had the access to develop some of these skills in previous roles.
- Ensure compensation structures are specific to the role and do not allow compensation gaps for women in the workspace.
These systemic barriers will not be eliminated overnight. We must first build awareness and understand the biases that we all carry and that still remain in the workspace, and then work towards a cultural change that will make space for all. Remember — we are all learning.
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