"Emphasise a culture of balance by providing support programs"

Attract and incubate: Giving early exposure to opportunities and providing platforms for women throughout the career lifecycle — campus hires, experienced laterals, career breaks — feeds the talent pipeline, but it’s the subsequent investment that compounds the impact of that pipeline and propels organisations towards gender-balanced leadership. 

Balance vs control: Control is illusory and requires constant energy to maintain, while balance is an inherently stable equilibrium. Emphasise a culture of balance by providing support programs like maternity mentoring, flexible working arrangements and childcare centers to allow women in the organisation to find their personal balance.

Manager accountability: Managerial styles which emphasise engagement, coaching and principled leadership set a generally positive tone. However, inclusive leadership is critical to creating a diverse team and maximising performance. Sensitising managers to the challenges women face and having the right metrics to measure accountability promotes an inclusive environment at the workplace.

Foster open communication: Transparent communication ensures women receive the direct feedback crucial to achieve their full potential. It also provides a mechanism to accelerate their development by learning from the accumulated experience of others without having to walk every step of the path themselves. 

Own It: Thought leadership around diversity is important but creating ownership and taking action is what achieves meaningful outcomes. Intentionally building an ecosystem that supports women and provides sponsorship will deliver tangible results in retaining and developing talent.