4 Strategies for Empowering Women to Drive Business Growth

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

4 Strategies for Empowering Women to Drive Business Growth

Empowering women in the workplace has become increasingly significant, as it plays a pivotal role in fostering a diverse and inclusive work environment.

With women constituting nearly half of the global workforce, it’s crucial for organizations to cultivate an atmosphere that promotes gender equality and empowers women to realize their full potential. In this insightful blog, we’ll explore the importance of empowering women in the workforce, highlighting the unique contributions they bring to the table alongside their male counterparts.

By implementing diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives, companies demonstrate their commitment to valuing each individual and addressing their specific needs. Embracing DEI ensures that women's voices are heard, their talents are recognized, and their professional growth is supported.

Abigail Sel - CMO Tweet

Embracing DEI Initiatives for Success

As we move towards creating more inclusive and equitable workplaces, improving the experience of women is a crucial step that companies must take. Not only does this lead to positive outcomes for individuals, but it can also benefit businesses in a multitude of ways. In this article, we’ll explore how companies can meaningfully execute strategies to empowering women and create a more inclusive workplace culture.

The Essential Role of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in Building a Resilient Workplace

Investing in equal opportunities and diversity in the workplace is not just a moral imperative, but it also has tangible benefits for businesses. Not only does it help in achieving gender equality and closing the pay gap, but it can also drive innovation, creativity, and better problem-solving across teams.
 
For instance, research shows that gender-diverse tech companies outperform their less-diverse peers by 5.4% on average. Companies with more than 33% female executives also see a net profit margin more than 10 times greater than those without any women in senior leadership positions.
 
A study by the Peterson Institute for International Economics further supports this notion. It found that a company with 30% women in leadership positions could add more than 1 percentage point to its net margin compared to a similar firm without any female leaders. This represents a 15% boost to profitability, a significant advantage in today’s competitive business landscape.
Empowering Women
Dismantling gender inequality in the workplace has tangible benefits for all employees’ well-being beyond just increasing profit margins.
 
Studies have shown that workplaces with a higher percentage of women reported increased job satisfaction, less burnout, and more meaningful work. Additionally, these organizations were found to have a more positive and meaningful culture, with employees of all genders enjoying their work, having a job that fits well with other areas of their life, and having opportunities to make a difference.
 
By prioritizing gender equality, organizations can create a better work environment for all employees and foster a culture of inclusivity and positivity that benefits everyone.

Equal representation in leadership positions isn't just a goal, it's a necessity. It's up to us to break down the barriers that stand in the way of progress, and create a workplace culture where talent and merit are the only factors that matter. At XA Talent, we're committed to doing our part by hiring the best candidates based on their ability to excel, regardless of gender, race, or status. By working together towards this common goal, we can build a brighter future where equal opportunity is a reality for all.

Evan Jones - Founder and CEO Tweet

The Challenges Women Face on the Path to Executive Leadership:

Despite the proven benefits of having more women in the workplace, the percentage of women in executive positions remains staggeringly low.

Shockingly, only 10.9% of senior executives in the world’s largest 500 companies are women. This issue, known as the “broken rung,” occurs when women face a significant obstacle on the path to senior leadership at the very first step up to manager. For every 100 men promoted or hired to manager, only 72 women are given the same opportunity. This disparity results in fewer women progressing beyond entry-level positions, while men end up occupying 62% of manager-level positions.

To bridge this seniority gap and create a more diverse workforce, it’s crucial to take action and support women in the workplace. Measures such as promoting gender diversity and inclusivity, providing mentorship and networking opportunities, and actively seeking out diverse candidates for leadership positions can make a significant difference.

By creating a culture that values and promotes gender equality, organizations can break down the “broken rung” and pave the way for more women to achieve success in senior leadership roles.

Strategies to Empowering Women and Building a Stronger Workplace:

1. Addressing Unconscious Bias Head-On

Unconscious biases can have a significant impact on workplace dynamics, influencing everything from hiring decisions to salaries and promotions. Unfortunately, many of these biases stem from deep-seated stereotypes about social and demographic groups that people may not even realize they hold. For example, women leaders are often judged harshly for being assertive, while men are expected to be strong and decisive.
 
To combat these biases, it’s essential to acknowledge their existence and take concrete steps to overcome them. One effective strategy is to provide unconscious bias awareness training for employees. By raising awareness of these biases and encouraging people to actively work to overcome them, organizations can create a more inclusive and empowering workplace culture that benefits everyone.
 
Individuals can also make a difference by speaking out when they hear remarks that perpetuate biases. By taking small steps to combat unconscious bias, we can all contribute to a larger culture shift that promotes Workforce Success and empowers individuals to reach their full potential, regardless of gender or other demographics.

2. Changing the Game: Redefining Parental Leave Policies

The discrepancy in parental leave policies between men and women is a stark reminder of the gender inequality that still exists in the workplace. In the UK, women are entitled to 52 weeks of statutory maternity leave, while men are only eligible for 2 weeks of paternity leave with no legal obligation for employers to compensate them for their time off. In the US, new mothers are only entitled to 12 weeks of unpaid leave, while new fathers aren’t entitled to any leave at all.
 
These discrepancies reinforce the societal expectations of new mothers and fathers and place an undue burden on women to take time off after the birth of a child. To create a more inclusive workplace, companies need to re-evaluate their parental leave policies and offer equal time off and compensation to both men and women.
 
By introducing enhanced parental leave policies for both primary and secondary caregivers, companies can help enforce real change for women in the workforce. It’s crucial to avoid reinforcing gender stereotypes by simply increasing maternity pay and instead refer to “primary caregivers” and “secondary caregivers” to ensure that no assumptions are made about the gender of the parent taking time off.
 
In the long run, creating more inclusive parental leave policies is not only the right thing to do but also makes good business sense. By retaining valued employees and reducing churn rates, companies can save significant costs associated with replacement and recruitment.
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

3. Prioritizing Work-Life Integration

Having policies that allow for a good work-life balance, with flexible working hours and remote work opportunities, is crucial for both men and women in the workforce. Flexible working hours provide new parents with more opportunities to split childcare responsibilities more evenly and achieve a better work-life balance.

At XA Talent, we've been fully remote since January 2020 and have provided flexible working hours for our core support staff. For those working under contract at their respective employers, we adhere to their workplace policies. We're considering a hybrid work model for our DC and Virginia staff to accommodate marketing, branding, and events for our clients. We're committed to making remote work a success for all our employees, as we share infrastructure with our parent company, XA Systems. By offering remote work options, we can attract top talent from all over while still maintaining a high level of productivity and service.

Evan Jones - Founder and CEO Tweet
In addition to flexible working arrangements, providing childcare at work is another way to ensure that both men and women can continue to work without the financial burden of childcare at home. Companies like Google, Goldman Sachs, and Addison Lee are pioneers in this regard and have introduced creches where children can stay during the day while parents work.
 
Offering flexible working hours and childcare at work not only supports working parents but also promotes a more inclusive and diverse workplace.

4. End Gender Wage Disparities

Despite the narrowing of the gender wage gap in the U.S., unconscious bias still plays a major role in perpetuating inequality in the workplace. Many employers assume that they pay men and women equally, but the reality is that there is often a significant wage gap that goes unrecognized.
 
In 2018, women earned only 85% of what men did, up from 80% in 2017. The good news is that there are steps you can take to actively reduce this gap in your workplace. By examining your pay policies, promoting transparency and equity, and ensuring that promotions and opportunities for growth are equally accessible to all employees, you can help to create a more fair and inclusive workplace culture.
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

Final Thoughts:

Empowering women in the workplace is not only a moral imperative but also a practical business decision. As research has shown, companies that prioritize gender equality and diversity in their workforce tend to perform better and be more innovative — This result is largely due to different perspectives coming from diverse backgrounds.
 
To make meaningful strides towards gender equality in the workplace, companies need to focus on a range of issues including unconscious bias, parental leave policies, flexible working arrangements, and reducing the gender wage gap. By implementing policies that support women and actively working to dismantle systemic barriers, companies can create a more inclusive and equitable workplace that benefits everyone.
 
It’s important to remember that these changes won’t happen overnight and that it takes a concerted effort from everyone in the organization to create lasting change. But the rewards of a diverse and inclusive workplace are worth the effort, not only for the success of the business but also for the well-being and empowerment of all employees. The future is female, and it’s up to us to ensure that all women have an equal opportunity to succeed.

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Abigail Sel

I’m Abigail, a marketing expert who has transitioned from luxury brand marketing to corporate and executive branding. As a Chief Marketing Officer with a passion for storytelling and launching innovative digital strategies, I’ve spent the last decade helping companies build brand love and drive business growth.
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Abigail Sel

I’m Abigail, a marketing expert who has transitioned from luxury brand marketing to corporate and executive branding. As a Chief Marketing Officer with a passion for storytelling and launching innovative digital strategies, I’ve spent the last decade helping companies build brand love and drive business growth.

http://www.myxatalent.com

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Aiyaz, VP of Recruitment and Staffing

Aiyaz Uddin

VP, Recruitment and Staffing

With over 15 years of experience in the industry, Aiyaz brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to our team by strategically positioning clients to attract, engage, and pipeline the most sought-after talent in information technology utilizing open-source intelligence, talent solutions, and machine learning tools for federal and local government contracting firms, and commercial employers. Aiyaz has a proven track record of success in matching the right talent with the right opportunities, leading to long-term and mutually beneficial relationships.

 

As a leader in the industry, he is constantly seeking out new and innovative ways to improve our services and deliver the best results for our clients and job seekers.


Aiyaz is a certified tech recruitment professional with an MBA in Finance & Marketing along with M.Sc. Psychology. Additionally, his drive to seek new and innovative approaches to talent acquisition led him to speak on LinkedIn Talent Solutions by LinkedIn and HackerEarth’s Tech Recruiting Conference Hire 101.


Under Aiyaz 's leadership, XA Talent has become a trusted partner for companies looking to grow their teams and job seekers looking for their next great opportunity. Aiyaz and our team are committed to delivering an exceptional experience for everyone we work with.

 

Get in touch with XA Talent today, and let us help you find your next great opportunity.

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Peyton Brooks, VP of Workforce Development

Peyton Brooks

VP, Workforce Development

As a firm believer in continuous development and self-improvement, I attained a Bachelor of Science in Marketing from Howard University and a Juris Doctor Degree from The George Washington University Law School.

 

My passion for service to the community drove me towards the workforce development industry, where I have been in active pursuit to change the trajectory of lives and shape communities ever since. With nearly a decade of experience doing so, I have helped thousands of individuals obtain access to more short-term, affordable, and convenient upskill and reskill opportunities across the nation.

 

Given my vast industry expertise, I provide management consulting services to workforce
development organizations helping them with customized solutions, specialized curricula, strategic partnerships, and employer engagement. My consulting leverages deep technical knowledge as well as strategic and tactical approaches to provide the best solutions with data-driven outcomes. 

 

My proven experience in building workforce development systems have led me to develop and evangelize best practices for workforce development programs that include the following outcome-based attributes:

– Livable wages and sustainable careers in high-demand industry sectors
– Job placement-focused programs with strong employer partnerships
– Data-driven understanding of regional skills gaps; and
– Comprehensive skills training that includes practical application work experience with career coaching.

 

My ability to thrive in the workforce development industry is attributed to my strong interpersonal skills, which have enhanced my capabilities to understand what people truly mean to communicate when attempting to express their business challenges. This trait has set me apart from the rest, as I can identify and resolve the root cause of challenges resulting in proper alignment of investment to desired business outcomes.

 

Therefore, as a leader of cooperative outcome-focused efforts, I would like to connect with
professionals who are interested in collaborating to improve communities and change the trajectory of lives through sustainable career attainment.

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Abigail Sel, Chief Marketing Officer

Abigail Sel, MBA

CMO

“Marketing maven with a knack for turning vision into outcomes.” As a Chief Marketing Officer with a passion for storytelling and launching innovative digital strategies, I’ve spent the last decade helping companies build brand love and drive business growth📈. 

 

From leading cross-functional teams to developing and executing innovative marketing campaigns, I’ve always been driven by the power of connection. I’m a strategic thinker, data-driven decision-maker, and creative problem solver. I specialize in digital marketing, brand positioning, and go-to-market planning.

 

I’m Abigail👋🏽, a marketing expert who has transitioned from luxury brand marketing to corporate and executive branding. Two years ago, I merged my boutique marketing agency with XA Talent to create a disruptive Recruitment Marketing and Branding Agency.

 

We pulled apart the pre-existing Talent Acquisition Accelerator System (TAA) and enhanced it to what we currently call the 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗸𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗰𝗲 𝗔𝗰𝗰𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗼𝗿 𝗦𝘆𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗺. This system was created and perfected by our founder, Evan Jones, in his 22 years in business managing his own federal government consulting firm, XA Systems, consulting with market-leading companies such as Accenture, Booze Allen Hamilton, L3 Harris Corporation, and more.

 

👩🏽‍💻The Workforce Accelerator System is able to resolve workforce acquisition and retention challenges enabling SMBs, especially federal and state/local government contracting firms and workforce development companies, to hire culture-driven talent on-demand without having to pay high-cost third-party recruitment agency fees. Moreover, with compelling brand stories and data-driven strategies, you have the potential to stay ahead of your competitors to attract new talent and clients/partners.

 

What makes my expertise different in the market is that I utilize winning creative methodologies to differentiate corporate SMBs’ marketing campaigns that result in connection with their target audience. So yes, collaborating on this system has been the most rewarding experience in my fifteen-year professional career.

 

When I’m not strategizing, you can find me attending marketing events and exploring new technologies and trends to bring fresh perspectives to the table.

 

Personally, I have lived in five countries – Malaysia, Australia, Dubai, the UK, and the US.
✈️an avid traveler
📑completed my MBA in London
👩🏽‍🍳love to experiment with new recipes at home
🤸🏽‍♀️absolutely love Pilates to strengthen my mind and body!

Connect with me⤴️ to learn more about how I can help your business succeed.

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Evan Jones, Founder and CEO

Evan Jones

Founder and CEO

After 20 years of delivering IT management consulting and infrastructure operations & management services to the federal government (XA Systems, LLC https://xasystems.com/) and hiring thousands of employees over the years, Evan and his team have developed a system that scales a company's personnel recruitment with culture-driven candidates who contribute to the success of the business.

 

As a technology-based business focused on continual process improvement, the methods he and his team have developed have been improved over the years and are centered on employer branding and recruitment marketing that results in a pipeline of engaged candidates ready to be hired on demand. He believes every business can succeed and create an impact if they are willing to take uncomfortable action with the right tools and knowledge. He’s determined to stand in the gap and provide the tools and knowledge businesses need.

 

To date, he has played a role in the growth and development of more than 30 companies. He has worked behind the scenes of SMBs and massive 8 to 10-figure companies helping them overhaul their processes, reinvent their recruitment marketing strategies, and drive growth, both in net profit and an overall employer reach into job seeker communities.

 

With a passion for business transformation, Evan has developed his own technology, an enterprise SaaS solution, ServeOptics, that delivers service support performance metrics to IT leaders who need actionable insights to make informed business decisions. The more visibility of operations that exists with real-time performance metrics and automated reporting, the more efficient and effective companies can be in their service support operations, which enables a business to gain a significant competitive advantage in their industry.

 

Evan is interested in connecting with forward-thinking business professionals who want to collaborate on business opportunities or discuss how his recruitment system can enable a business to attract top-tier candidates, employ on-demand, and retain its best employees.

Let's connect