COMMENT •
Sharyn Macnamara – Senior writer • sharyn @ interactmedia . co . za
DEIB – THERE IS SO MUCH MORE THAT MUST BE DONE , THE WORLD-OVER !
Two events impacted my world last month , amongst others – the first was World Engineering Day on 4 March , with the theme ‘ Engineering Solutions for a Sustainable World ’; the second was International Women ’ s Day ( IWD ) on 8 March with the theme # InspireInclusion . While editing stories on both , I was writing about insights into the issue of the lack of women players in STEMI ( Science , Technology , Engineering , Mathematics and Innovation ) in South Africa gleaned from local women leaders . All three themes are intrinsically intertwined in the mining industry in DEIB – the diversity , equity , inclusion and belonging space . To have a truly sustainable world , we must find balance in this area . Most companies say DEIB is a top priority and critical to their success ; however , although financial and staffing investments are increasing , there is so much more that must be done .
The skills shortage within STEMI careers is a major challenge on the global front . On the African continent and more specifically , locally in South Africa – it is characterised and impacted by what is called the ‘ leaky pipeline ’ phenomenon ( specifically with regards to women ) as well as the brain drain experienced over the last twenty years – and is of grave concern in our mining world . Challenges in attraction , retention , promotion and development of women in particular are being debated across industries and the world over .
According to the latest Women in the Workplace report by McKinsey , women in America are more ambitious than ever , and workplace flexibility is fuelling them . Yet , despite some hard-fought gains , women ’ s representation is not keeping pace 1 – even in this first world country . Africa is also lagging and some insights in the report may prove helpful in our regional and local journeys .
The report debunks four traditional myths about what holds women back :
• It is a myth that women are becoming less ambitious – women are in fact currently more ambitious than before the pandemic – and flexibility is helping . The report states that “ women are defying the outdated notion that work and life are incompatible ”.
• The myth that the biggest barrier to women ’ s advancement is the “ glass ceiling ” has been replaced by “ the ‘ broken rung ’ is the greatest obstacle women face on the path to senior leadership ” 2
• “ Microaggressions 3 have a ‘ micro ’ impact ” is a myth . They have a large , lasting impact .
• “ It is mostly women who want and benefit from flexible working hours ” is a myth . Both men and women see flexibility as a ‘ top 3 ’ employee benefit and critical to company success .
The report recommends the following to companies with a quest to improve their DEIB :
• Tracking outcomes for women ’ s representation : Measuring employees ’ outcomes and experiences and mining the data for insights to fix pain points is just as important as financial tracking in a business , says McKinsey . Tracking metrics with an intersectional approach i . e . by race , gender and also by identifiers , such as LGBTQ +, is essential – “ without this level of visibility , the experiences and career progression of women with traditionally marginalised identities can go overlooked .” Transparently sharing metrics , insights and internal goals with all employees builds trust and signals organisational support for those previously marginalised .
• Empowering managers to be effective people leaders : “ As companies more deeply invest in the culture of work , managers play an increasingly critical role in fostering DEIB , ensuring employee well-being and navigating the shift to flexible work … Companies must explicitly communicate to managers what is core to their roles and incentivise them to act . The most effective way to do this is to include responsibilities like career development , DEIB and employee well-being in managers ’ job descriptions and performance reviews ,” says McKinsey .
• Addressing microaggressions head on : Raising awareness and educating employees on what these are is core , and “ developing a code of conduct that articulates what supportive and respectful behaviour looks like versus what unacceptable and uncivil behaviour is ” is essential . High-quality bias and allyship training and fostering a culture that encourages employees to speak up when they see disrespectful behaviour occur could assist .
• Unlocking the full potential of flexible work : 4 “ Women at companies with supportive flexible policies are more likely to report having equal opportunities to advance – and are less likely to consider leaving ,” says McKinsey . Establishing clear expectations and norms around flexitime is key .
• Fixing the broken rung , once and for all : To uncover inequities in the promotion processes , companies must track who is nominated for and who receives promotions , by race and gender . Tracking with an intersectional lens enables employers to identify and address the obstacles . Companies can use this data to identify otherwise invisible gaps and refine processes . Clear evaluation criteria to stop bias from entering hiring and reviews is required . Easy to use evaluation tools to gather measurable , objective input that can be compared across candidates are key . •
References
1 . https :// www . mckinsey . com / featured-insights / diversity-and-inclusion / women-in-the-workplace ? stcr = F84BB103C930495C8D2AF0E8A2FA8773 & cid = other-eml-alt-mip-mck & hlkid = 4c16df6473ba4d839e2c6a745e5dbe8c & hctk y = 14283285 & hdpid = 34ed680c-b5ca-420b-b77d-b8ea3390bedc 2 . Women face their biggest hurdle at the first critical step up to manager . 3 . Microaggressions are demeaning or dismissive comments , actions rooted in bias and directed at people based on gender , race or other aspects of identity . Self-shielding / self-monitoring , refers to efforts to avoid / protect oneself by continuously modifying one ’ s behaviours . This includes code-switching , restricting self-expression / hiding aspects of one ’ s identity .
4 . Flexibility stigma is the unfair judgment that employees often face when they work flexible hours / work from home . Research shows those who work flexibly face more doubts about their productivity / commitment , even when they produce the same results as colleagues on site .
www . africanmining . co . za African Mining Publication African Mining African Mining • April 2024 • 3