March is Women’s History Month and it is a great time to reflect on the value and importance of having gender diversity in the workplace. Research has consistently shown that having women on teams, in leadership positions, and part of the executive team makes organizations better by improving organizational culture, increasing team performance, and improving executive decision making.
Organizational Culture Seeing women in leadership positions increases the motivation and commitment of women at all levels of the organization. Representation matters to people so that they can see that something is possible. Having women in top leadership positions can increase the motivation and performance of women who are individual contributors and middle managers because they see the possibility of themselves growing and progressing within the organization. Team Performance Having women on teams, or even having teams entirely made up of women, leads to greater team success. Thompson (2015) stated that collective intelligence “is not strongly correlated with the average or maximum individual intelligence of group members but is correlated with the average social sensitivity of group members, the equality in distribution of conversational turn-taking, and the proportion of females in the group”. Women on teams tend to be more sensitive and empathetic towards team members and they have used these skills to encourage participation, validate ideas and contributions, and instill confidence in individuals and their abilities to engage. Women team members often encourage the psychological safety needed in groups to maximize individual and group performance. Executive Decision Making Female representation at the top contributes to diversity of thought which can improve decision making. Studies have shown that heterogeneous teams are more innovative due to the varying perspectives and insights. Women enhance collaboration and improve fairness in processes and decision making (Novotney, 2023). Additionally, the presence of women on the team helps to reduce stereotypes about women in the workplace that can have a negative impact on decision making and policy making. Organizations that strive for gender diversity and are deliberate about making their organizations a great place for women to work and thrive consistently show positive organizational outcomes. Organizations who have visible female representation attract gender diverse talent, with women perceiving the organization as a great place to work for women and men perceiving the organization as a meritocracy versus a good-ol-boys' club. Any organization that values successful business outcomes and a healthy organizational culture should evaluate the gender diversity in their workplace at all levels of the organization and ensure that their organization is a positive place for women to thrive and grow. Novotney, A. (2023). Women leaders make work better. Here’s the science behind how to promote them. APA. Thompson, D. (2015). The secret to smart groups: It’s women. The Atlantic.
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