As the world marks the contributions of women this International Women’s Day, exchange4media is running a women’s day series to highlight the achievements of women, their grit and resilience in every field. The special series recognises the contribution of women leaders in building a sustainable future. In today’s edition of the women’s day series, Prathyusha Agarwal, Chief Business Officer-Early Learn, Byju’s, outlines some fundamental moves to fuel anekata and create harmonious workplaces that are welcoming and enriching for all.
For centuries, women have been moving the world forward shaping cultural and socio-economic outcomes, and yet, the barriers of bias have persisted. Equity across spheres of humanity is a tenet of a progressive society, and breaking these barriers of bias is perhaps the first step towards building an equitable future that’s sustainable not just for women but vibrant humankind. Having an inclusive, and balanced leadership in the workplace, one that is geared towards sustainable development, can be a powerful enabler towards this very plausible future.
Numerous studies have established that diverse leadership is critical when it comes to nurturing creative thinking and better business outcomes. More importantly, the impact of representation cannot be understated. Having a plurality of role models makes sure that there is ample mentorship to open doors and sustain inclusivity beyond the current crop.
Reimagining the formal workforce and workplace
Today’s workplaces aren’t mass production factories, but collaborative creators working to solve new problems in a rapidly changing world. Reimagining the formal workforce and workplaces as non-uniform, plural beings and spaces means a comprehensive rethink and design that includes everything from hiring and talent acquisition to performance management and career advancement, with affirmative action plans in place at every stage. In this era of rapid and competitive digital evolution, technology plays a crucial role in aiding this democratised diversity design and deployment. With the help of tech-powered solutions and the inclusive vision, businesses can commit to a comprehensive diversity, equity, and inclusion strategy and tangible affirmative action plans. Using technology to identify relevant metrics, report results, and track progress ensures accountability and transparency, institutionalising inclusive culture.
To actively shift tangible metrics and change culture, tracking at both a personal and organisational level is necessary. For instance, at BYJU’S, we have 33% woman representation on the board, 33% representation on the top management and 40% representation of women overall, across levels. There is no doubt that gender diversity in an organisation fosters greater innovation and we must all work towards creating equal and viable opportunities for women across different sectors. As per a report by Harvard Business School, firms that increased their proportion of female partner hires saw, on average, a 1.5% spike in overall fund returns each year and had 9.7% more profitable exits
Role modelling and celebrating empathetic & compassionate leadership
Over the past two years, we have all faced overlapping health, economic and societal crises causing widespread uncertainty. Empathetic leadership, centered on communication, has been the need of the hour. In this post-pandemic world, what we need is empathetic and compassionate leaders, not just wartime generals. They are critical in establishing trust among team members and help bring out the collective best. It is vital to try and understand different people’s perspectives and comprehend the situation from multiple vantage points to bring innovation and out-of-the-box thinking for people and customers. This brand of leadership is one that a lot of women and some men demonstrate but isn’t celebrated enough.
A study by Caliper states that women leaders tend to be more flexible and empathetic with stronger interpersonal skills – all of which are crucial ingredients to navigate the unforeseen times we live in. Not only can women lead from the front when it comes to instilling a culture of empathy, but they can also be key role models in cementing this culture throughout the organisation. This empathy also comes into play when building mentorship networks for aspiring women professionals. Learning from the shared experiences of other women can be a strong teacher. There’s also nothing more empowering than the support of other women. Building up leaders around you that emulate empathy, withhold judgement, value opinions, and create a nurturing environment for other women to grow, is what can help create an equitable workplace.
Creating equal playing grounds
There is a lot that can be achieved through focused policymaking that ensures the upward mobility of women and makes inclusivity and equality a priority at all levels. At BYJU’S, we have an array of programs that consciously build equal playing grounds throughout the organisation.
To start with, hiring without a bias of gender is key, and something that we follow at BYJU’S too. You will find women in leadership and management roles throughout the company, including those who have returned to work for a second innings in their career. Creating empathetic and inclusive leave policies is another impactful step which can ensure that employees receive the support they need to bring their best selves to both work and life. At BYJU’S we do this through a host of inclusive leave policies from period leaves for women to child care leaves for all parents. To supplement these policy decisions there are also ample role models of women in leadership positions who serve as sources of mentorship for the team. Townhalls that connect these leaders through candid ‘ask-me-anything’ style of conversations have built a network and a sense of belonging in the women at BYJU’S that furthers the effort of creating a truly equal, inclusive workplace.
Building Human First relationships beyond work transactions
In a world powered by technology and driven by ambition and achievement, we must not lose sight of what makes us human. Fostering a human connection in meaningful ways, being kind and supporting each other — even if it’s as easy as saying “I’m here for you” or “we’re all in this together” goes a long way in making our workplaces and communities the microcosms of the world we want to live in. To ensure an inclusive future for all, it is more necessary than ever for all of us to come together and bring our human selves to every task, every meeting and every goal, every day at work.
In today’s age of the unknown, the ability to adapt to changing circumstances is crucial. But how do we achieve this? By empowering people we work with, by hearing all voices, designing for plurality and making the workplace as diverse as the world we live in. It is by fueling this human capital and potential that we can tide over challenges and crises. We cannot make real progress without significant steps by leaders who let their actions speak louder than words.
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