Look before diving into middle of the swamp
IT has been commented on by many that the frozen middle is a group of disengaged employees who gum up the works when it comes to innovation and productivity.
They are often influencers, cynics and youngsters without hope of a brighter future in the organisation for which they work.
In short, they are thorns in the side of organisational development and the progress of those around them.
Accordingly, it is not a great mental stretch to link this phenomenon to the continuation of workplace gender inequality.
When a corporation develops and allows a culture of stagnation to fester, not only does it negatively affect the bottom line, it also creates a mid-level swamp for any employee with aspirations to swim through.
As there are fewer women in corporations to start with, there will be fewer willing to brave the contamination so it stands to reason there are fewer making it to the shore on the other side.
Add to this your basic birds of a feather flock together psychology and it is a potent mix. People are more comfortable making a journey knowing there are other similar people making the same journey.
It is a kind of travellers’ camaraderie.
Let us face it, we love diversity, but it is OK to want to hang out with people who just get you because of similar life experience. There is a place in the world for both, right?
So when making the decision to swim through the swamp or not, women, like everyone else, will look around at who else is putting on a bathing costume. If it’s just blokes in budgie smugglers, well . . . (?)
While the frozen middle seems an intractable problem in many organisations, its effects go beyond bottom lines and shareholder returns. Social issues, investor confidence and attracting the right people to the C-suite are just the tip of the iceberg.
My advice? If you’re looking to advance in an organisation, look around for: Evidence of stagnation;
The extent of it; and, Swimming partners.
Then make your decision.
Lisa Sweeney is a co-owner of Geelong-based Business in Heels.