Manu Mātauranga* sought recommendations for increasing the representation of women and non-binary leaders in their senior leadership roles.
This organisation has been around for over 25 years and employs approximately 400 across New Zealand. Their structure is largely made up of specialist experts as well as the usual functions of IT, People and Culture, and Corporate Support.
Their goal was 40 / 40 / 20 (40% women, 40% men with the remaining 20% being any make up of either).
However, despite putting in place a range of initiatives targeted at supporting female careers, they were still losing women at a critical juncture between Hay Grade 16 and 17, where representation dropped from 48% to 33% in their critical roles.
In addressing this representation their aim was that this would also go some ways to close their median vertical pay gap of 17.4% (which is higher than the New Zealand gender pay gap of 8.6%)
What we did
We reviewed their existing resources and other work being undertaken to address the representation of women in leadership. This included engagement survey data, turnover stats, and any policies directed at the recruitment and representation of women.
We then conducted focus groups and interviews with their women in senior leadership, as well as interviews with several male leaders to understand:
- the current challenges women faced progressing their careers into leadership;
- the skills and capabilities necessary to be an effective leader within their organisation;
- the systems that supported or inhibited them; and
- their thoughts on how to better support women in leadership, including what has worked well before and what is currently working.
Three challenges and recommended actions
Out of this data we were able to identify three core challenges that were unique to their context. These were: not seeing gender as an issue; the additional labours women were having to engage in in order to reach leadership roles; and, the child-less expectations of leadership.
“Gender isn’t an issue”
Not seeing gender as an issue, despite the “male dominated” nature of senior leadership.
For example, statements like “we don’t have a gender issue” appeared at the same time as women described progressing their careers while navigating expectations to act like men.
“as long as you’re working with them on their terms (i.e. men), and ways they are used to, then there isn’t really a gender issue”.
Recommended action(s): | Education about gender issues, including the importance of addressing these. |
The additional labours women must engage in
The additional mental, emotional and physical labours women were engaging in to achieve senior roles.
For example, going to greater lengths to prove they are capable and committed; countering assumptions that they would book the travel, make the tea, be the primary caregiver; and absorbing normalised, yet uncomfortable (at best), behaviours of male colleagues.
“You’ve also got to do the emotional work, and think about what you’re going to say, so as not to put anyone’s back up. Whereas a man would just say it”.
Recommended action(s): |
Explicitly counter gendered societal, cultural norms through sponsorship and allyship. This is not positive discrimination but acknowledgement, and active support, of women through gendered dynamics that inhibit their careers. |
The child-less choice
The child-less ‘choice’ they were having to make if they wished to reach those roles.
For example, the long-hours necessary to reach those roles, describing themselves as ‘lucky’ they didn’t want to have children, not seeing examples of how they could progress their career and have children, gendered norms that meant they would still do the majority of domestic / care-giving work.
“It’s become a lot more gender balanced as I’ve progressed my career, as more women have made the choice to not have children”.
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Recommended action(s): |
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The (initial) outcomes
Although it’s early days for Manu Mātauranga they have since put in place some quick wins, for example, discounted childcare and more opportunities for their women in leadership (or on pathways to leadership) to get together for solidarity and support.
However, what this work emphasised were the more complex cultural shifts necessary for inclusion. For example, it highlighted the generational differences between younger women and those that have held leadership positions for longer, and how working beyond contractual hours needed to be addressed in order for senior roles to be more desirable for the next generation of female leaders.
“We wouldn’t have been able to have the robust discussions we did have without Amanda’s ground-work and findings. We’re in a space now to begin the complex cultural shifts necessary to deliver on our diversity target, to break away from societal / industry expectations, and become leaders in this space.”
While many organisations are investing considerable resources into addressing the inclusion of women in leadership, we’re still not seeing this flow through to representation.
There are significant opportunities for organisations looking to be game changers in this space and address the culture and leadership competencies necessary for inclusion.
We apply in-depth expertise on leadership, gender equity and inclusion, as well as practical experience in leadership development and culture change, to help organisations understand their leadership inclusion challenges and co-create a road map for addressing these.
If you’d like to know more about our approach you can find more information here, or get in touch for a no obligation chat.
*Identifying details have been removed and an alias of Manu Mātauranga (which means clever bird in Te Reo) has been used.
