human resources

How to hire to improve gender diversity in the workplace

Simone Wu — Fri, 08 Mar 2024 18:22:00 +0000

How to hire to improve gender diversity in the workplace Simone Wu

A commitment to improving the balance of gender diversity and inclusion in your workplace is a direct investment in your company culture.

A gender diverse workforce has a healthy balance between men and women employees in all levels. This creates an inclusive culture and environment that increases employee productivity and job satisfaction.

Businesses that place importance in promoting gender diversity also creates innovative solutions to complex business challenges.

Despite the benefits of gender diversity in the workplace, there is still a lot of work to be done.

Women's emotional intelligence: a boost for successful leadership

The COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated attitudes toward flexible working, innovation, transparent leadership, the need for more diverse perspectives and empathetic management. 

Improved gender diversity and inclusion brings improved workplace culture

The post-pandemic work-related cultural shifts are particularly relevant when advancing gender equality at work.

The Australian Institute of Management (AIM) highlights emotional intelligence and adaptability as essential for “human-centred leadership” – a style that fosters inclusive cultures and drives stronger outcomes in gender diversity in the workplace.

These qualities are associated more with female leaders than their male counterparts, a shift away from traditionally masculine traits towards capabilities.

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Thriving businesses care about gender diversity and inclusion

In fact, companies who are active in supporting gender diversity are the most highly trusted as they are 1.4 times more likely to have gender diversity targets in their chief executive compensation plans, according to PwC's 25th Annual Global CEO Survey report. 

This explains the findings on how hybrid models and digitalisation are helping to narrow employment gaps and support women’s workplace advancement, though disparities remain.

Addressing the needs of female employees

Female leaders are also increasingly vocal about what they need to thrive. Boundary-setting (31%) and flexibility offered by the company (19%) are rising priorities, especially as more women take on leadership roles in hybrid environments.

When organisations listen, respond and actively demonstrate sustained progress – with mentorship, transparent pay equity strategies and inclusive leadership – they see stronger results across the board.

By embedding emotional intelligence into leadership, businesses strengthen not just individual performance, but long-term organisational resilience – making real progress on diversity and inclusion and gender diversity in the workplace.

An increase in women leaders

Despite all the efforts toward gender parity, women are still underrepresented at every level of the corporate ladder, with the gap becoming more significant at senior executive levels.

According to the McKinsey’s Women in the Workplace 2024 Report, women hold 48% of entry-level roles in U.S. companies, though global figures remain closer to 46%. At the managerial level, women represent 39% of roles in the U.S., with global representation of women in senior levels ranging between 31.7% and 33.5%.

Women now occupy 34% of VP positions and 29% of SVP roles in U.S. firms. At the C-suite level, women hold 29% of executive roles in the U.S., while global CEO representation remains significantly lower, hovering between 9% and 10.4%.

Regional perspectives on employer efforts

While global statistics show gradual progress, employee perceptions of these efforts vary across markets. Our 2025 Talent Trends Hong Kong Report reveals notable differences in how female professionals view their employer’s gender equity initiatives:

APAC region: 55% of female professionals are satisfied with their employer's efforts on female leadership representation, with 22% dissatisfied and 23% neutral.

Hong Kong: In contrast, only 43% of female professionals express satisfaction with their employer's female leadership representation, while 22% are dissatisfied and 35% remain neutral.

This 15-percentage-point gap in satisfaction between Taiwan and the broader APAC region suggests that organisations in Taiwan may need to accelerate their efforts or improve communication around their gender diversity initiatives.

The good news is that there is steady progress in female representation in the diverse workforce. According to the 2024 Women in Business report by Grant Thornton, women held just 19% of leadership roles globally in 2004. That number rose to 31% in 2021, 32% in 2022, 32.4% in 2023, and 33.5% in 2024.

While the pace of progress may seem slow, it is still encouraging – especially in a post-COVID landscape where many companies faced headcount freezes and budget cuts. Momentum is key, and the latest data suggests that the corporate world is gradually moving toward greater gender parity.

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Why hiring female talents require a strategic approach

Companies need to strategise effective approaches to attract top female talents into their organisation bearing in mind the current barriers that hinder gender equality at work.

Networking gaps limit leadership opportunities

Women tend to network with other women. Given that currently men significantly outnumber women in senior leadership roles, women face barriers of having less access to mentorship and sponsorship from senior leaders, which is a critical gap in inclusive leadership as pointed out in a report by PwC.

Confidence barriers affect women’s advancement

Many women still feel hesitant to speak up against workplace norms in their day-to-day experience at work – and that might come down to confidence.

Key findings from a UK study on gender gaps in remuneration, promotion and career progression found that only 36% of women feel empowered to perform at their best.

The report also highlights a persistent gap in how recognition is perceived: women often look to the visibility of their day-to-day work as a source of validation, while men tend to place greater value on company culture.

Home responsibilities drive women out of the workforce

Shortly after the COVID-19 pandemic, many working mothers have considered exiting the workforce and downshifting their careers due to childcare responsibilities.

Despite businesses across many industries starting to implement workplace flexibility to address this issue, women continue to feel burdened by familial obligations on top of their work.

A 2025 gender equality report by GeoPoll highlights that women remain less satisfied with work-life balance (30% vs. 34% of men) and more likely to anticipate worsening conditions.

Organisations must align hiring with DE&I goals

At the end of the day, companies want to build a diverse workforce by hiring more female leaders. Organisations should continuously assess and reassess their best practices for gender diversity, and by extension, diversity and inclusion.

While it begins at the recruitment level, corporations need to develop an awareness of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DE&I) and decide how to deliver diversity targets at the workplace, as this would contribute to talent retention in the efforts of building diverse teams, according to Rani Nandan, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Director at PageGroup APAC.

Through enough diversity training, recruiters may identify and consider excluding non-essential criteria and referencing broader capability requirements to avoid disproportionate focus on professional qualifications.

Long-term gender diversity requires systemic DE&I integration

Though it looks like there is still a long way to go to improve gender equality and equity in the workplace, companies need to look at ways to achieve the greatest impact for a gender-inclusive workforce.

The key is to integrate DE&I policies and commitments into the business framework to bring about true cultural change – such as expanding mentorship through formal sponsorship programmes, redesigning flexibility models to better support women’s work-life balance, and conducting data-driven audits to address promotion and equal pay.

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Practical hiring strategies to improve gender diversity in the workplace

There are a few ways to kickstart the promotion of gender diversity in the workplace during hiring.

1. Provide training on inclusive hiring practices

The impact of gender stereotypes and unconscious biases exists, and it can come from anyone – even from those affected by it, particularly women.

Therefore, it is vital to actively train recruiters, hiring managers and senior leaders who participate in hiring, from those responsible for writing job advertisements, to interviewing and making hiring decisions. 

“We have a mandatory training course, which is extensive and comprehensive to educate our employees on eliminating unconscious bias when pre-screening and interviewing candidates,” shares Olga Yung, Managing Director at Michael Page Hong Kong.

She adds, “We cover unconscious bias, finding diverse talent, creating inclusive job descriptions, inclusive shortlisting, and inclusive interviewing practices.

The modules give an in-depth analysis and explore different scenarios, followed by tests that require a 100% passing rate before moving on to the next module.”

To aid interviewers to reduce bias, companies could create a defined job criteria checklist when screening job seekers, and hiring decisions should be made against this list, with any additional notes or performance ratings to be added in a separate section. 

Olga elaborates, “The interview process must be standardised, fair, and consistent. The questions we ask the candidates must be structured to be evidence-based. There is an expectation of the consultant being able to manage their personal bias.”

“We have a very systematic system of record notes from the interviews, which indicate the correct information presented by the candidate. We ensure we create the right interview environment, ask the right questions, practice active listening skills, make verbatim notes, and classify and evaluate the [feedback].” 

2. Implement interview panels with a diverse set of interviewers

It is critical to have a diverse panel of interviewers in order to catch interviewer bias early on. If your company uses external recruiting agencies, it is important to check in with them to see how they handle diverse hiring. 

At the hiring manager or talent acquisition manager level, the company could make a regulation that there should always be two hirers present at every interview who demonstrate equal participation throughout the interview process.

To eliminate gender bias, one interviewer could interview for technical skills, while the other could focus on behavioural ones. 

With two people accessing an interviewee, you will get different, or similar, professional opinions, which can lead to a fairer and more objective perspective on the applicant.  

For senior role interviews, it is even more crucial to have an interview panel that reflects diversity in ethnicity and gender identity.

This approach fosters a gender-inclusive environment and enhances the company's image as committed to improving diversity and eliminating gender disparity, which can positively impact the candidate's view regardless of the interview outcome.

3. Make job advertisements more inclusive 

Creating an inclusive workplace culture starts at the very beginning – by attracting a gender-diverse talent pool from the moment the job posting goes live. Here are a few things to note when crafting an inclusive job post:

Audit and update job descriptions for inclusive language

It is very important for hiring managers to be aware of gender-biased language in job posts. Certain words in the descriptions can affect job appeal for women in terms of personal skill and belongingness.

Even one word can make the difference between attracting female applicants and turning them away. 

For instance, words like "dominant", "self-reliant" and "analyse" are perceived as more masculine, while words like "serves", "dependable", "collaborate" and "consider" are considered female-trait words, according to this journal. 

Skip the nice-to-have requirements and stick to the must-haves

78% of women's reasons for not applying, have to do with believing that the job qualifications are real requirements, according to a Harvard Business Review survey.  According to Nandan:

Recruiters may consider excluding non-essential criteria and reference broader capability requirements to avoid disproportionate focus on professional qualifications.

There can also be a reduced focus on required qualifications and experience, and more emphasis on the objectives of the role.

4. Demonstrate a commitment to true inclusivity

Add a statement to show your organisation's commitment as an Equal Opportunity Employer that expresses the company's approach to diversity, equity, and inclusion, providing support, equal opportunities to career advancements and reasonable adjustments to all.

Nandan adds, go further by including family-friendly benefits like flexible working arrangements and parental leave.

Gender diversity in the workplace goes beyond the hiring process

Hiring with gender diversity in mind is only the beginning. Once your company has onboarded female talents, it is crucial to support them with career advancement opportunities, mentorship, and leadership pathways.

Over time, consider intersectionality factors to sustain healthy gender diversity. For example, be mindful of bias or preferential treatment based on a female employee’s appearance, ethnicity, beliefs, sexual orientation, or gender identity.

You will also need to assess internal processes like performance reviews and promotions to ensure they are equitable, transparent, and free from any conscious or unconscious unfair treatment within your team.

Organisations that build true cultures of inclusion tend to see better retention, stronger morale, and a more compelling employer brand

Try our free Gender Decoder tool

As advocates for equality and innovation, we understand the vital role language plays in shaping workplace culture and fostering diversity.

Start your journey towards a more equitable workplace today with our free Gender Decoder tool – a powerful resource designed to highlight gender bias in your job ads.

Our tool scans job posts, identifying gender-coded language to ensure inclusivity for all applicants. By embracing neutral language, you not only attract a wider pool of talent but also cultivate an environment where everyone feels valued and respected.

Further reading:
11 traits you need to be a highly effective leader
How to attract more women to the STEM industry
How employers and employees can match their priorities

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Simone Wu

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5 things millennials look for in a job

Anonymous — Thu, 19 Jul 2018 03:41:58 +0000

5 things millennials look for in a job Anonymous (not verified)

Less than a third of millennials are engaged in their duties at work. Gallup, an analytics company that focuses on the attitudes and behaviors of people in the workplace, defines employee engagement as individuals that are “emotionally and behaviorally connected to their job and company”. Gallup reports that majority of the millennial workforce is checked out when doing their work, meaning they don’t put energy or passion into their job duties. But what has changed and what do millennials want in a job and career? Here are some interesting findings from the report.

1. They value purpose over paychecks

Millennials are more likely to take a job with a lower pay if they believe that this position gives them a sense of meaning. Although pay should be fair and appropriate for the job duties, this isn’t their main motivating factor. Having a strong company brand and culture helps attract millennials and will keep them engaged.

2. They want skill development

A job that helps cultivate, develop, and grow skillset drives this generation. Millennials are more apt to accept a job that they don’t necessarily like if they believe it will allow them to enhance their skills.

3. They want a coach, not a boss

Instead of a taskmaster, millennials want their managers to serve a more supportive and developmental role. Be mindful in how you delegate tasks and deliver feedback, and be sure to view your millennial employees as an ever-evolving asset, rather than a cog in the machine.

4. Regular feedback is crucial

Millennials need to know where they stand in an employer’s eyes.Gone are the days where all feedback was neatly packaged and delivered in an annual review. Reviews should still happen, but feeding back criticisms and praise in real time to millennials will ensure they stay motivated and engaged.

5. Work-Life cohesion

Instead of having two separate lives – one for work and one outside of work – this generation believes that their job isn’t just a career, it’s their life, too. In order to have a fulfilling life, millennials need positions that seamlessly integrate into their personal schedules.

What does this mean for leaders and management? The challenge is two-fold: first, they need to understand how to attract millennial workers and next, they need to understand how to retain their existing millennial employees. Visit our management advice section for further insights on how to create a positive culture and develop an appropriate management style to become this generation’s employer of choice.

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Michael Page

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Sick leave and your bottom line: How to manage workplace absences

Anonymous — Tue, 31 May 2016 02:37:24 +0000

Sick leave and your bottom line: How to manage workplace absences Anonymous (not verified)

Employee absence is often one of the biggest non-recoverable costs to businesses. It can lead to delays in task delivery and project completion, failures in communication and a loss of trust between employer and employee if frequent or long-term absences aren't adequately explained.

These issues are compounded by increasingly lean workforces that may find it difficult to absorb the workload of absent colleagues, or who may grow resentful if they are made to do so frequently or for long periods at a time.

For these reasons, managing absence should be an important priority for employers, but is one that needs to be handled carefully, taking into account the circumstances of the absence and the employee's personal history.

Provide clarity upfront

Every organisation should have a clear policy for how different kinds of leave are managed and the responsibilities an employee has in terms of providing notice and documentation around absences.

Are workers expected to call if they plan to be absent or will an email or text suffice? What is the threshold for when a doctor's certificate is required? Ensure that your policy covers all these kinds of questions and make sure it is covered in all induction materials and made available to employees via the company intranet.

We all accept that some sickness absence is inevitable and most absences are genuine, but simply having to call in at a set time and speak to their manager can discourage the employee who “doesn’t like Mondays”.

Short-term absences

This will be the most frequent kind of absence employers have to manage, and is also the kind most likely to be abused by workers wanting to take a 'sickie' or sick day. This is where your clear-cut policies will come into play, and as long as workers meet the criteria you've laid out for them, it’s easiest to simply accept the absence and move on with your day.

However, monitoring short-term absence, targeting those whose absence shows a pattern and ensuring that the correct recording and reporting procedures are followed can help reduce the risk of abuse and ensure that any underlying issues are exposed without too much damage to your bottom line.

For many managers, having a conversation with an employee about their absence can be uncomfortable and challenging

Long-term absences

Long- term absence cases can be more difficult, with many involving employees who have long- term health conditions, many of whom are long serving and highly valued. When they do need to take time off due to illness, a holistic approach to managing their absence, including their manager, HR, occupational health and external agencies, can ensure that they return to work as quickly as possible and with any adjustments they need already in place.

However, there will be cases where a return to work isn’t possible and these cases need to be managed to a conclusion as quickly and sensitively as possible. This means ensuring that the business follows both internal and legislative processes, whilst at the same time making sure that the employee continues to feel supported and valued.

For many managers having a conversation with an employee about their absence can be uncomfortable and challenging. They often don’t have the necessary skills to manage absence, so upskilling them is key to bringing absence rates down, with the resulting cost benefits to the business. How many managers, when conducting a return to work interview, have taken the employee to one side and said “let’s just say we’ve done this interview and I’ll tick the box”? This creates a barrier to managing absence and can impact on the attendance culture within the organisation. Line managers tend to know their employees better than anyone and so are key players in managing their attendance.

Addressing absence trends

Once the absence trends have been identified measures can be put in place to address them. There’s no point having a market leading approach to managing stress and anxiety if 90% of sickness absence cases are related to musculoskeletal disorders! Understanding the reasons for absence allows you to develop a proactive approach, based on preventing absence in the first place. This leaves you able to concentrate resources on the unavoidable absence cases.

Early intervention and ongoing management of absence cases is the key to achieving a rapid and sustained improvement. For example, an early referral for counselling to an employee assistance programme can minimise the absence of an employee who is absent for mental health reasons. Similarly, an in house physio service can mean a return to work quicker. This individualised approach, together with regular reviews of exiting absence cases, brings absence rates down, with the resulting impact on costs.

Greg Tadman

Summary

Employers should make managing absences an important priority in order to minimise the impact to team engagement and cohesion, and your bottom line:

Ensure your organisation has a clear policy around how different kinds of leave are managed and responsibilities an employee has in terms of providing notice and documentation around absences
Monitor short-term absences to try and pick up any patterns which could signal abuse
Long-term absences should be managed on a case-by-case basis with sensitivity and regard for the individual's personal circumstances
Use an 'early intervention' approach when addressing absence trends

human resources

How to hire to improve gender diversity in the workplace

Women's emotional intelligence: a boost for successful leadership

Improved gender diversity and inclusion brings improved workplace culture

Thriving businesses care about gender diversity and inclusion

Addressing the needs of female employees

An increase in women leaders

Regional perspectives on employer efforts

Why hiring female talents require a strategic approach

Networking gaps limit leadership opportunities

Confidence barriers affect women’s advancement

Home responsibilities drive women out of the workforce

Organisations must align hiring with DE&I goals

Long-term gender diversity requires systemic DE&I integration

Practical hiring strategies to improve gender diversity in the workplace

1. Provide training on inclusive hiring practices

2. Implement interview panels with a diverse set of interviewers

3. Make job advertisements more inclusive

Audit and update job descriptions for inclusive language

Skip the nice-to-have requirements and stick to the must-haves

4. Demonstrate a commitment to true inclusivity

Gender diversity in the workplace goes beyond the hiring process

Try our free Gender Decoder tool

I need to hire

Popular articles

Advertise Your Role With Us

5 things millennials look for in a job

1. They value purpose over paychecks

2. They want skill development

3. They want a coach, not a boss

4. Regular feedback is crucial

5. Work-Life cohesion

I need to hire

Popular articles

Advertise Your Role With Us

Sick leave and your bottom line: How to manage workplace absences

Provide clarity upfront

Short-term absences

Long-term absences

Addressing absence trends

Summary

3. Make job advertisements more inclusive 