Partner Article

Globoforce believes greater diversity is needed in business

As we celebrate International Women’s Day this week, Niamh Graham, VP of global HR at Globoforce, believes that while there are opportunities for women in today’s workplace, more needs to be done to create greater levels of diversity and an inclusive, gender-equal culture. One way businesses can do this is by regularly recognising women’s achievements at work.

Niamh Graham states that “while women have made great strides to become more prevalent in the boardroom, there is still a very present cloud of inequality in the workplace, and International Woman’s Day (IWD) is the perfect time to highlight these problems on a global platform. Last year, Glassdoor Economic Research found that, the UK has one of the worst records on gender equality at work – ranking 11th out of 18 countries when it comes to pay, board level representation and the gap between male and female employment. With this year’s IWD theme being ‘Be Bold for Change’, companies must take bolder steps to encourage greater shifts in attitudes towards women in the workplace.

“In order to succeed, companies need to focus on diversity in order to forge a more inclusive, gender-equal culture,” continued Graham. “Organisations cannot be complacent and must make sure that they are actively fostering an environment where every employee, regardless of their race, colour, gender or sexual orientation are empowered to have a voice, feel respected, and have a strong sense of belonging. Companies that foster a culture that recognises women’s achievements and helps them advance will yield a workforce that is happier, more productive and motivated to do great work. As Adam Grant, author and Wharton professor says, women still do not have the same opportunities to advance as men, despite that fact that ‘the evidence is strong that although men tend to be more confident leaders, on average women are more competent’.* With the world seeming increasingly divided on a daily basis, and an attitude towards women that is often archaic and disrespectful, organisations now more than ever need to promote a unified, fair culture, and know that they are stronger in the face of diversity.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Globoforce .