There are many benefits to hiring women in this modern, digital era. Thankfully, the workplace has changed considerably since the 1950’s, and we now find ourselves in a new era where remote/ hybrid working is in full swing, and virtual reality and artificial intelligence is making it easier for mothers to be career women as well. Research shows that the most valuable skills of the future of work include analytical/ critical thinking, interpersonal skills and leadership.
Clients and customers alike seek more meaningful relationships from and within the workplace. As technology advances, these meaningful human connection skills are irreplaceable and desperately required. These qualities can be seen as more feminine, like empathy, emotional intelligence, conflict resolution and other soft skills.
With this in mind, we look at four apparent benefits of hiring women in a digital era.
Customer Relationship Forming
Women are naturally inclined to form relationships with the customers they are in contact with through work. Relationship building gives them a better understanding of who the customer is and what their particular needs are. This knowledge not only enables the company to better communicate with the customer but also how to tailor and adapt the product or service offering in line with customer needs. They are more likely to nurture a client relationship, even in a digital space. Better offering and targeted communication mean an increased return on investment for the company.
Creating Healthy Office Environments
A healthy, positive office environment creates higher employee satisfaction and builds loyalty. Sharing cake on someone’s birthday or dressing up to celebrate certain holidays builds team morale and spirit. Women are more likely to initiate these occasions than men. Events like these bring co-workers together and encourage positive, healthy office environments. They are more likely to collaborate with co-workers and with virtual teams coming together from all parts of the globe, having women team members can help facilitate that collaboration.
Inclusion and Diversity
Having women in decision-making roles provides a unique perspective. The research conducted by McKinsey (2017) shows that gender-diverse leadership in companies is 21% more likely to produce above-average profitability, while ethnically and culturally diverse leadership is 33% more likely to outperform. These stats are still relevant today when discussions about diversity and inclusion are prominent. A study conducted in 2020 by McKinsey shows that a need for diversity and inclusion in business was only becoming more critical. We also see in another study by McKinsey how the skills women naturally carry in the workplace have been critical through the pandemic but not consistently recognised.
Work-Life Integration
Generally, women are still the primary caretakers of the household, which means that their entire life is not centred on work. With the great strides being made towards flexible and part-time working arrangements with employers, especially through the pandemic, women are more likely to understand that people have personal needs and that it is possible to be highly productive and work flexibly. This empathy with co-workers from senior management will create loyalty and increase retention for employers.
Having women in the workplace benefits any office environment by fostering loyalty among customers and employees. For a world that is moving quickly towards digital workspaces, it is imperative to have this diversity.
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