With New Zealand being the first self-governing country in the world to grant women the right to cast their vote in parliamentary elections, since 1893, it has remained at the forefront of gender equality.
Despite having had no less than three female prime ministers, and at times, achieving gender parity in Parliament, the country still has some way to go in achieving true gender equality in both public life, and the workplace. Although reputable recruiting agencies in Auckland and employers may contribute to gender equality by offering equal opportunities in the workplace, there are still a host of barriers candidates and employees must face at every level of employment.
From decisions around hiring, to career progression and senior level pay thresholds, although recent data does show that progress has been made in some areas, gender bias (whether acknowledged or not) continues to shape outcomes in the workforce throughout the country.
Is your company doing enough to tackle and promote gender equality in the workplace? Do you believe you’re making objective hiring decisions when in reality, unconscious gender bias may be controlling your choices?
If you’re concerned that your company isn’t doing enough to tackle workplace bias, here are some practical ways to address the issue:
Use name-blind recruitment
This is one of the most practical ways to ensure that every hiring decision your company makes, is based upon the skills and experience of a candidate, alone. By omitting the names from CVs, name-blind recruitment makes it virtually impossible to make any assumptions about an individual that are linked to their gender.
Implement equal pay
Despite it being widely accepted that a person carrying out the same work as someone from an opposing gender, should be renumerated the same, there are still lingering disparities. One way your company can promote equal pay and stand apart from other businesses, is by taking a proactive stance. By putting policies in place that are clear and unambiguous, employers can make sure that all genders are being paid equally (and fairly) for performing identical roles.
Use ability to assign roles
Thanks to surviving stereotypes, women are often placed in supportive or administrative roles, while men are offered roles that require leadership qualities. Unfortunately, such assumptions can heavily inhibit workplace and career opportunities for all genders, and serve only to reinforce inequality. As an employer, you should strive to assign every role or responsibility to an individual based upon their ability and performance, instead of their gender.
Create open dialogue
It may sound like a simple approach, but talking about gender equality and unconscious bias in the workplace, can help employers and employees alike, recognise their own biases. When such discussions are actively encouraged, and appropriate training is provided, over time, this can lead to the making of hiring and promotional decisions that are more equitable.
Understand anti-discrimination laws
It’s imperative that as an employer creating opportunities for part time work in Auckland, that you make yourself familiar with workplace laws designed to protect employees from all forms of discrimination, including equal pay and gender discrimination. Equality in the workplace should be a given, but if you feel that your company could, or should be doing more to promote it, it’s never too late as an employer, to take steps to improve this. Not only could it make your business more productive, but it could make you more appealing to candidates facing inequality during the hiring process, or in the workplace.