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Gender equality in companies is more than just a social goal - it is an economic success factor. Although there are legal requirements and social endeavours, actual equality is often not implemented enough in working life. Women are often confronted with obstacles such as unequal pay or a lack of representation in management positions. But how can companies actively promote female empowerment? In this article, we shed light on the importance of equality, challenges and concrete strategies to empower women and create a fair working environment.
1. economic and social benefits
Equality in the workplace should not only be perceived as a social necessity, but as a matter of course and a decisive advantage for a company. Studies show that diverse teams are more creative and make better decisions. Companies with a higher proportion of women in management positions often achieve higher profits and are more innovative. At the same time, female empowerment is a sign of equal opportunities and demonstrates a fair HR policy in a company, which also makes an employer more attractive.
2. statistics speak for themselves
Only 28% of management positions in Germany are held by women. The gender pay gap in Germany remains at around 18 %. These figures show that there is a need for action.
1. unconscious bias - the unconscious prejudice effect
Women are often unconsciously judged differently to men. These unconscious thought patterns mean that women are less likely to be promoted, taken less seriously or generally disadvantaged.
2. compatibility of career and family
Despite good qualifications and commitment, many women fail due to invisible barriers that prevent them from advancing. One example is the lack of compatibility between family and career. Although there has been a major shift in recent years, the main responsibility for childcare still often lies with women. The lack of support services can have a major impact on careers.
3. lack of commitment at management level
If there is a lack of gender equality measures in a company, this is due to a lack of commitment at management level. If this is still dominated by men or if there is already a shortage of female managers, it is more difficult for young women to develop career ambitions.
The IT sector shows in a special way how important female empowerment is for equal rights. Although women laid the foundations for this modern industry, they are still severely underrepresented today: In 75% of all German IT companies, the proportion of women is less than 25%. Historical role models such as Ada Lovelace and Grace Hopper show that women can play a key role in IT. Nevertheless, they face structural and social obstacles that are reinforced by traditional gender roles, a lack of support for young talent and a lack of role models. Women could not only alleviate the shortage of skilled labour in the industry, but also provide innovative impetus through their particular strengths such as empathy, creativity and communication skills - especially in areas such as artificial intelligence, where the perspective of women is urgently needed.
1. create an inclusive corporate culture
Companies should promote a culture based on diversity and respect. Workshops on unconscious bias or diversity training can help to reduce unconscious bias and discrimination and thus sensitise managers.
2. promotion of women in management positions
The integration of targeted programmes to promote female employees, mentoring programmes and quotas for women at management level can help young female employees to develop within the company. They are also supported on their way into management, whereby their experiences and perspectives contribute to further equality in the workplace. Networks such as ‘Women in Leadership’ offer exchange and inspiration.
3. offer flexible working models
Working from home, flexible working hours or job sharing enable women to better reconcile family and career. This reduces the risk of qualified female employees leaving the company.
1. SAP: Pioneer in gender diversity
The technology company SAP has set itself ambitious targets to increase the proportion of women in management positions. By 2023, this had already reached 30%.
2. Inspiring managers
Women such as Tina Müller (former CEO of Douglas) and Janina Kugel (former Siemens board member) show how female leadership can transform companies.
Equality in the company is not an option, but a matter of course. Gender equality in the company ensures diverse teams that work more creatively, innovatively and fairly, allowing better decisions to be made within the company. Equality makes an employer more attractive for both skilled workers and customers. There is still a long way to go in the labour market, but concrete strategies for more equality can create an inclusive corporate culture. Female empowerment is a win-win situation for everyone involved. We also promote active equality within the company, so let's work together towards a fair future!
