Women’s Initiatives
Corporate inclusion and diversity initiatives should be directly aligned to the overall strategy when considering a women’s initiative. Communication from the top executive team is critical. Executive leaders need to support and participate in women’s initiative in order for them to be successful and meaningful to the women within the organization.
Women’s networks are very effective and can significantly improve retention and the advancement of women. A women’s network and corporate strategy should include the following five areas:
- Recruitment and Retention
- Leadership Development
- Informal Mentoring Program
- Networking Opportunities/Events/Conferences
- Leadership Summits
Women’s Initiative Can Improve Recruitment and Retention
Our research shows that women who feel valued, listened to, and appreciated do not leave their organizations. Recruitment strategies need to be clear to attract top talent. We encourage our clients to brand their women’s networks, share the information on their websites, and use it as marketing collateral when recruiting.
Leadership Development Is a Must
We view a woman’s professional development as a critical component to the success of her ability to advance in the workplace. Our training enables women to expand their sense of understanding of how their style impacts an organization. Women benefit greatly when they have a clear understanding of how they can positively affect change and achieve results as a leader.
Informal Mentoring Programs
Designing and implementing an informal mentoring program is equally important when developing a women’s initiative. Formal and informal mentoring can bring different perceptions into the workplace and the benefits of both programs should be considered carefully. Research shows that informal relationships are the most powerful career accelerators. Formal mentoring relationships are more likely to involve less motivated mentors and less effective coaching sessions. Women may find it challenging to engage in formal relationships. However, if they are encouraged to seek informal mentors, the results prove positive.
Networking Opportunities/Events/Conferences
Strong leaders have strong networks. Women network differently than men and having those opportunities can significantly increase a woman’s book of business. Networking events provide opportunities to develop informal mentors and connect with other successful female leaders. Many successful women’ networks attend women’s leadership conferences or join business associations to learn from other successful leaders.
Leadership Summit
A Leadership Summit should be geared toward both men and women so the men see the value of women’s initiatives. One strategy we successfully incorporated for a client’s women’s initiative was to include the male leaders of the organization.
We design Leadership Summits to help both men and women understand the differences in their approach to client entertainment, breakfast vs. dinner meetings, communication styles, and generational differences and flexibility. We educate the group on the value of understanding how communication style differences can positively impact their company’s financial performance.
Today, the business case for diversity, inclusion and the advancement of women is stronger than ever as more organizations seek multidimensional diversity teams when companies are selecting their strategic business partners. If companies want to remain competitive in the future, inclusion and diversity initiatives should be a top priority.
