THE advantage of having more women in the workforce has long been recognised around the globe.
Since the 1940s, the role of women in a nation's development has become prominent and appreciated. It has often been quoted that "women hold up half the sky".
Indeed, having women in an organisation can help improve its processes and boost collaborations. Women bring unique perspectives and solutions, and they also bring unique talents and life experiences, as well as emotional connections.
Researchers have found that women have stronger skills when it comes to reading non-verbal cues. This combination of male-female strengths makes the workplace stronger, richer and, to a great extent, more productive.
In late last year, the women, family and community development minister announced that the government is embarking on a series of initiatives to increase female labour participation from the current 56.2 per cent to a target of 60.0 per cent.
Yet, in the first quarter of this year, Khazanah Research Institute reported that gender disparities still persist in the workforce, hampering diversity in the workplace. In fact, the report states that there is a higher share of males entering work right after graduation compared with their female counterparts.
According to the Statistics Department, up to February this year, the country's female labour force participation rate stands at 56.5 per cent, while the male rate is 83.1 per cent.
It is known that women face several challenges, which impede their long-term participation in the workforce.
What then can employers and governments do to level the playing field, so that roughly half of the nation's population is not held back as they fulfil their role as nurturers and caregivers?
Employers may view women with family obligations as possible detractors for future performance. This unjustly impedes their opportunities for career advancement.
By creating more inclusive and supportive workplaces for women that address the challenges they face, employers are investing in the future of their corporations and human resource development.
Workers' motivation and talent retention need not be an uncompromising uphill task. Availability of creches will provide women with peace of mind as they work in the office, and this goes a long way in female staff retention.
Contrary to popular belief, flexibility in work arrangements rather than a high salary maybe key for women in the workforce. This is important as women have to balance between caregiving responsibilities, childcare obligations and other time commitments.
In this respect, employers can benefit from offering more out-of-the-box job opportunities to women. Flexible scheduling, permanent remote-work options and even part-time work can make a big difference in attracting and retaining women.
For businesses, flexible work arrangements will help companies adjust to workload fluctuations and avoid the costly side-effects of being over or understaffed.
For women, such options can help fill potential gaps in their resume, build their networks of connections and explore new professional opportunities. This will result in a win-win arrangement for all.
Building a supportive ecosystem that allow women to showcase their potential as professionals without having to sacrifice their role as caregivers and mothers should be given serious considerations by employers and governments.
Be it professional development and reskilling or subsidised daycare centres in the private sector or financial aid for women entrepreneurs offered under various government entrepreneurial programmes, a supportive ecosystem goes a long way in helping women to strike a balance in their professional and private lives.
According to the McKinsey Women in the Workforce 2022 report, burnout is escalating more quickly among women than men. The report says that "one in three women... have considered downshifting their career or leaving the workforce. Additionally, four in 10 women have considered leaving their company or switching jobs".
Putting in place a supportive eco-system must not be viewed as according women preferential treatment. Rather, it is about recognising their worth, skills, experience and contributions.
It is about exercising corporate compassion, support and flexibility to empower female employees to carry out their multiple roles without feeling threatened, inadequate, and incompetent.
It is about helping women grow and advance in their career. Very importantly, it is also about ensuring that the positive influence of women is felt in the Malaysian workplace.
The same McKinsey Women in the Workforce 2022 report found that companies with more than 30 per cent female executives tended to outperform companies with 10 to 30 per cent female leaders, and those companies also outperformed companies with fewer or no women executives.
We urge all parties to acknowledge the needs and potential contributions of women and tap that pool of talent and skills to realise the full potential of their multiple roles as daughter, wife, mother, professional and entrepreneur.
The writer is CEO of World Vision Malaysia
The views expressed in this article are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect those of the New Straits Times
