Tech can benefit career moves of female employees
Women climbing the corporate ladder cite achieving a work-life balance as a major challenge, according to a recent report, and using technology to support female workers could put some organizations at a competitive advantage.
According to the 2017 Women, Work and Happiness: Impact of Women in the Workplace in a Digital Age report, jointly launched by Lean In China and Deloitte China on March 7, while men and women aspire to leadership roles in near equal numbers (88 percent of men versus 78 percent of women), men are 50 percent more likely than women to have their eye on the most senior leadership position in their organization.
However, as women rise up the corporate ladder, they are more likely to cite achieving a work-life balance as a challenge.
The report seeks to understand the professional motivations of women in the digital age and the challenges they face, as well as their leadership behavior and the impact of female leadership on the workplace.
The report showed that a slightly higher percentage of men (33.95 percent) than women (30.67 percent) think that family is more important than career. Men also cite work-life balance as one of their top challenges.
Besides, men rate themselves higher in all leadership capabilities than women, highlighting the so-called “confidence gap”. Nevertheless, men and women both rate themselves as having the same top three capabilities — collaboration, execution and providing direction — and the same lowest capability — building talent, which is a prerequisite for any organization’s long-term development.
The report also reveals that the more an organization’s culture supports risktaking and inclusion, the likelier it is for women to yield a greater financial impact than men. A more mature leadership model or pipeline with clearly defined expectations of leadership positions will empower
Given the large proportion of women in the workforce, organizations that can unlock the potential of their female workforce will be at an ... advantage.” Virginia Tan, president of Lean In China
women to create a greater financial impact. The greater the digital maturity of an organization, the more likely it is that women will invest in it.
Virginia Tan, co-founder and president of Lean In China, a professional development and peer support platform for women, said, “China has focused on positioning itself as a global leader in the wake of the Fourth Industrial Revolution. Given the large proportion of women in the workforce, organizations that can unlock the potential of their female workforce will be at a competitive advantage.
“Actions that organizations can take to support women are the implementation of flexible working hours, using technology for mobile working, mentoring and sponsorship programs, and the creation of a culture where innovation is encouraged,” Tan said.
Brandy Niu, general manager of the Pet Nutrition business of Mars China, said diversity and openness are key to the competitiveness of a company, helping to attract talented people and achieve sustainability.
Companies using technology and digital measures to help female workers arrange their work and stimulate their potential raise satisfaction among employees, she said. Niu said globally, 42 percent of Mars’ talent pool is female and female executives make up 51 percent of its management.