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Start Articles Practical steps towards an equal organisation

Equality is valuable from several perspectives. Nevertheless, statistics show that we have a long way to go, especially in the IT industry where the numbers point towards a decrease! If we are to succeed in reversing the trend, we must understand what is the root of inequality and every business manager must change how they lead - in practice. With enlightenment and simple steps we will succeed. Download our checklist to help your organisation become more equal!

Yes please!

Is "the same" the same as equal?

Today, more than four times as many women as men are prescribed for burnout and less than half of all executive roles are held by women. In the IT industry, the statistics show that the number of women, regardless of position, is even fewer than before! The numbers speak a clear language - but what causes inequality? Why doesn't the gender segregation in the labor market change for the better when we know so much today?

Justice should be sufficient to motivate change. In addition to the justice perspective, gender equality is valuable from the perspective that differences actually enriches teams. Few argument against the research that shows that differences in a team can create greater dynamics. As we complement each other, it should therefore improve the potential for effective progress. For us who work in the IT industry with innovation as a benchmark, this should be crucial to success. If we look at this from this perspective, we can even say that equality creates profitability and business benefits.

We are immersed in the stereotypical gender roles already as babies. During the 1980s, many social experiments were made, which were called Baby X studies, where adults' approach to babies was examined. What the study showed was not the difference between boys and girls but instead that adult people expected to find a difference between boys and girls. The boys were described as "strong and messy" and the girls were "good and kind". The studies taught us that people read completely different meanings in exactly the same, based solely on a supposed gender identity. Why is it problematic? Well, just because boys are boys doesn't necessarily mean they are strong and messy. Just like girls aren't necessarily skilled and please just because they are girls.

Research shows that gender expectations means that girls are expected to do better than boys at school and therefore girls recieve less support, which means that girls often help each other rather than ask the teacher. Twice as many girls as boys worry about their study results, while boys are enjoying themselves better. Boys recieve more time of the teacher and become more confident in their ability to perform. As a result, when the students examine from school, boys tend to overestimate their own ability while the girls tend to underestimate theirs. Yes, girls have better grades than boys in general, but girls have a much worse self-esteem. The fact that these behaviors follows us in our adulthood is not strange. This costs our society and it costs our industry.

"Unsure" assignments and structures

Of course, we as adults become more aware of the structures that exist, and some of us, both organisations and individuals, work more actively and consciously with these, while others choose to ignore them. But the fact remains, all research shows how we as a society shape and maintain the structures. We do not think the solution lies with the individual. Instead, we must work actively to break these standards and values. Structures and gender roles did not occur by themselves and they will never disappear from themselves. Here the employer has a big responsibility.

Most research on how people are praised at workplaces relate to executive services and board assignments, but the mechanisms are exactly the same when assignments are to be distributed to consulting companies, management teams and specialist agents. The mechanisms apply to all missions where there are clear and objective performance measures, assignments where it is difficult to know exactly how the work will develop: something called "unsafe mission".

Being a manager is an example of an "insecure mission" - can not be described in manuals and job descriptions. One way to reduce this uncertainty is to hire "safe cards", that is, those who belong to the "right grade", "right sex" have been in the "right school" and move in the "right" social circles - with In other words, you are looking for someone who is as self-sufficient as possible. The more "equal" it gets in a workplace, the clearer it becomes to everyone that it's just the way you should be to work there. And being "equal" will be the skills that are demanded when executive services are to be added. Therefore, the gender segregation of the labor market does not change.

So, what can we do?

When we better understand these connections and put all cards on the table we can work on making more informed decisions. All research is available, now we need to live as we learn! If we can free ourselves and our organisationes from the values ​​and expectations we have on women's and men's roles and become even more equal, we can expect the following:

• Equal countries measure the highest level of happiness
• Equal companies are more profitable and more innovative
• Equal companies have increased job satisfaction and an increased level of productivity

Equality is clearly something everyone wins in the end. Equality makes us free from gender stereotypes and now allows us our full potential. Equality is not about removing men's conditions - it's about adding and giving women and men the same conditions.

How Zington work with equality

We have taken several steps to reach our important and uncompromised strategic goal - to be 100 % equal. We believe we can get there, quickly, through structural and organizational changes. But, what determines how well we succeed is our ability to break our stereotypical perceptions of gender roles. In order for this to not be a top-down question, but also to permeate the entire organization, we have founded Equality@Zington.

It's a network run by employees and leaders whose goal is to visualize improvement areas but also to support, educate and enlighten the organization and its leaders regarding these issues. So far, the network has developed a strategic and operational plan that extends until 2022, lectured on equality, organised so called "Guys dinner", prepared educational materials and supported leaders in matters related to this.

Excited to start? So are we!

Welcome to download our checklist that we use ourselves as a guide when we create change in our organisation!

Mikaela Larsson and Caroline Hallén
Representatives of Equality@Zington

Yes please, send me the checklist!