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My Family Care asks Pamela: With National Careers Week and International Women's Day falling in the same month, what better time than to discuss where equality in the workplace is for women. From your viewpoint, has the equality gap begun to close? And what needs to be done to progress to the next level?
If ever there was a time for women, the time is now!
Never before in my almost 20 years of working in the Diversity & Inclusion (D&I) space have I seen a more committed desire by men in business to give women equality.
The 30% Club has gained momentum, engaging senior leaders and CEOs across industries to take up the mantle. Firms are also competing aggressively to be best in class on gender diversity, demonstrated by the Times Top 50 Best Companies for women. And, let's not forget the politicising of gender with the debate still raging about quotas for women on boards in Europe.
I believe this increased intellectual debate has facilitated greater gender diversity, but it's the speed of change that concerns me. Frankly, it's too slow. Yes, equality will come in industry, I have no doubt, but not, I fear, within my working life and not without a greater representation of women on boards as role models.
Quotas are the way forward
I never thought I would say this and I am probably a lone voice in this view but if we want change and we want it sooner rather than later then I advocate quotas on boards.
If, on the other hand, we are happy being the pioneers for the next generation then let's wait, but after 40+ years since equality legislation in this country did we really think back then that we would still be having this debate?
The only really convincing argument against quotas is that women may be viewed as tokenism, but doesn't the business case put that to bed? Balanced gender boards are known to improve decision making and performance and increase return on equity, but the business case on its own has not been enough; people get it intellectually which brings me to hearts and minds.
Gender equality is not going to be won solely by legislation, the business case or female only development/sponsorship programmes or any combination of them - there has to be an emotional connection with the topic held by the powers that be as well!
The right thing to do
Whilst many of us have focused on intellectualising the topic, enlightened people and companies have just done it because it's fundamentally the right thing to do, to provide opportunities for talent to rise regardless of gender - hearts and minds working together! I am delighted to be working for one such company Northern Trust where in the EMEA region a 1/3 of our board Northern Trust Global Services Ltd is female, as is 39% of our Executive Committee.
This is a road to Damascus type experience and one which many organisations are fearful to tread because it requires a complete change management programme that involves the men as well as the women. Bringing women to the table that's relatively easy bring men and we are frozen like a deer in headlights because the real conversation about culture change is so hard to have!
Which brings me back to quotas - changing hearts and minds takes a long time. We have achieved greater equality, certainly, in the time I have been working within D&I but progress is slow and I am tired of waiting for it to just happen. Without quotas our job is harder - it's a case of company by company and CEO by CEO - I am sceptical but not without hope!
Pamela Hutchinson, Chief Diversity Officer Europe, Middle East, Africa and Asia Pacific - Northern Trust
