Inclusion’s call to action for leaders

2038 is when gender parity will be achieved in the boardroom according to Deloitte. “The business case for diversity is clear: companies with more diverse boards have shown that they tend to perform better financially,” said Anna Marks, Deloitte global chair.

She conceded a tangible increase in momentum is still needed to reach gender parity in the boardroom. “With women currently still underrepresented on company boards globally, that step-change in momentum will require organisations and investors to do more to realise the benefits that diverse boards can bring,” she concluded.

The Deloitte Global report Deloitte, Women in the Boardroom: A Global Perspective, estimates that women’s representation on the board has steadily risen from 17.1% in 2021 to 19.9% in 2023.

FutureIoT approached women leaders in Asia to get their perspectives on inclusion in 2024. Dorothy Peng, consulting executive director for Deloitte Southeast Asia, acknowledged that fortune favoured her given the environment she was in.

“I’m fortunate I’m in an environment where respect, empowerment and support of women in leadership exists naturally. There’s an inclusive culture at work where everyone has equal opportunities to succeed. I’m surrounded by allies at the workplace, in my community, and at home, who believe that we all win when women win,” admitted Peng.

For her part, Mariya Prempeh, country manager for Singapore, Malaysia & Brunei at Rockwell says inclusion and fostering a sense of belonging in employees of all genders is an important pursuit at Rockwell Automation.

“However, working in typically male-dominated manufacturing industries where only 29% of the talent pool is currently being represented by women, we see it as a critical part of our mission to attract, develop and retain more female employees,” she called out.

"Showing leadership by listening to what women want in a workforce e.g. fair pay, career growth opportunities, favourable maternity and childcare leave arrangement, equal opportunities for skills enhancement etc. is beginning to bring positive impacts not just to Rockwell and the manufacturing industry but to society."

Mariya Prempeh

US-based Dr Jessie Jamieson, a senior research engineer, revealed that Tenable places a strong emphasis on creating an environment where everyone can feel a sense of belonging regardless of gender.

“This is reflected in various initiatives such as Women@Tenable, which helps foster personal and professional growth, as well as our strong commitment to unconscious bias training,” she added.

While she acknowledged that in the broader tech industry, and society at large, there’s growing awareness of such values and viewpoints. “But the pace of change varies. Even today the ratio of men to women in cybersecurity is disproportionate,” she added.

What is the most prevalent obstacle to inclusion?

Deloitte’s Peng attributes this to the presence of unconscious bias – the automatic assumption about someone, and/or stereotypes our brains make without us even realising it.

“For example, my being a wife and mother of two young daughters I’m madly in love with should not and does not exclude me from having a successful career I’ve worked hard to achieve. I should be able to – and am able to – make it work if I wanted to, with the right support network around me,” she revealed.

Jamieson concurred adding that these biases can influence decision-making in hiring, promotions, daily interactions and the like without individuals even realising that they are being biased.

She added that in the tech industry, it is also often the case that diversity and inclusion must be tied to business outcomes to be viewed as a worthy investment. “Convincing business leaders that investments in diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts do tend to correlate with better business outcomes is another obstacle to inclusion,” she opined.

“Lack of investment and unconscious biases can create barriers to creating truly inclusive environments where everyone has an equal opportunity to succeed.”

Dr Jessie Jamieson

Prempeh opines that as an industry significant strides have been made in providing opportunities for hiring female employees whose skills match the roles. “However, retaining these employees can be a challenge for some organisations where things like maternity leave and childcare benefits might be lagging expectations,” she noted.

She also pointed out that sometimes the benefits offered to foreign female employees are not as generous as those given to local ones, which could impact not just gender diversity but cultural diversity as well.

Drawing from your experience, what can you learn in terms of achieving inclusion?

"To truly be a diverse and inclusive workplace, organisations need to create an environment where all employees are supported, engaged and, ultimately, able to succeed without compromising their individualism and authenticity," said Dan Helfrich, chairman and chief executive officer of Deloitte Consulting LLP.

Echoing this sentiment, Peng suggests embracing diversity and letting people come as they are. “Specifically for women though, I’d say, be your best advocate, back yourself and never exclude yourself from the equation. Don’t discount yourself before you’ve tried, and don’t let imposter syndrome take over,” she continued.

Prempeh believes that providing a safe space for women and men to have an open discourse about inclusion is one of the achievable ways of creating an inclusive environment.

“Spaces like these allow workers to voice their minds, leading to improved decision-making, diverse ideation and better business outcomes in the long run. This is what Singapore has been doing well and has helped create its impressive record of gender equality and inclusion in the workplace,” she opined.

Jamieson believes that achieving inclusion requires a multifaceted approach. She says the starting point is awareness – recognising that biases exist and what their impact is. Next, it's about education and training.

“For example, at Tenable we leverage unconscious bias training to help people recognise, understand and mitigate their biases,” she explained.

The last piece centres around taking action and involves implementing policies and corporate practices that promote diversity and inclusion throughout the organisation.

She suggested organisations prioritise the promotion of work-life balance and embrace benefits like flexible work schedules and comprehensive maternity/paternity leave to effectively harmonise work, home, and family life.

In her view, these initiatives play a crucial role in fostering more equitable outcomes for women.

How will you inspire inclusion?

Rosie Alvarez, vice president of Digital Transformation with The Courtney Jordan Foundation says when leaders act as role models for diversity and inclusion, they create a workplace where everyone feels valued and respected.

Deloitte’s Peng takes this seriously adding: “I recognise the unique position I’m in as a woman in leadership and in digital in Asia.”

“The simplest and most effective way to inspire inclusion though, is to lead by example. To do the work I’ve set out to do well, and also to be an ambassador and advocate for all the women rising stars in the space.”

Dorothy Peng

For her part, Prempeh says: “As a female country manager, I am hoping to inspire inclusion through leading by example, promoting diversity and inclusion initiatives and creating a supportive work environment for all.

“As a woman in the manufacturing sector, I know how challenging it is for females to grow in a sector which has traditionally been male dominated.

“I have previously experienced being the only female in the team, so I am grateful for the opportunity to engage with younger females who are starting their careers and mentor them as they are navigating the industry.  I hope I am inspiring more talented female professionals to succeed in the industry,” concluded Prempeh

Looking to her own experiences, Jamieson chimes in adding: “One of the ways we do this within my function and also across the organisation as a whole is by advocating for open dialogue and encouraging the sharing of diverse ideas and perspectives.”

She believes that this is best showcased through leading by example. “I strive to demonstrate inclusive behaviour, be active about seeking out and valuing differing viewpoints, and create opportunities for others to participate and grow within the firm,” she elaborated.

“We also encourage participation in inclusion initiatives such as mentoring programmes and employee resource groups to build an inclusive culture from the ground up.”