3 Tips on Why You Should Empower Women Leaders at Work

As one of the most progressive countries in the world, Singapore has seen the ranks of women in the workforce rise steadily through the years. The Ministry of Manpower revealed that the country’s resident employment rate has shot up from 54% in 2010 to 57.7% in 2020. Minister of State for Manpower Gan Siow Huang said that more women are joining growth industries such as information and communications, financial services, and health and social services – comprising 52.8% of these sectors.

Women’s share among PMETs (professionals, managers, executives, and technicians) have also increased over the past decade, reaching 45.6% from 41.1%.

While it is undeniable that more women now make up a significant part of the workforce in Singapore, the shift does not come without challenges. To date, women continue to take on dual roles in life – feeling pressure to perform not just at the workplace but also at home. 

A report by the UOB Group on the state of working women in Singapore shows that workforce participation among women tends to take a hit when they reach their 30s and 40s. There are 5% fewer women working in their 40s than men in the same age range, with females choosing to leave their industries to focus on their families.

The Ministry of Manpower also backs up these details: their 2018 Labour Force Survey found that among those who stopped working altogether, 41% of those who said they would not rejoin the workforce cited family responsibilities.

The picture is clear: while women are eager to join the workforce upon graduation, many of them – who need to build up years of experience to rise the ranks – fall short of reaching senior leadership positions. For many, the increased workload and workplace expectations become harder to juggle with the responsibilities of the home. Thus, the choice of work and family limit their prospects. 

Women in Singapore are not alone. In Asia, which still upholds conservative values and traditions, women are often deemed responsible for childbearing and rearing, plus caring for elderly loved ones. Even if women still hold domestic responsibilities, today’s modern society also pressures women to pursue further education and attempt entrepreneurial efforts – while upholding beauty standards. 

It puts a heavy burden on women to perform a balancing act, with women having to give up one or the other. The pandemic further magnified this dual load. McKinsey’s Women in the Workplace report showed that women take on significantly more domestic duties than men, with some even accepting over 70% of their share of household duties. Unsurprisingly, the same McKinsey report also notes that women have become more significantly burned out than men, affecting their mental health. 

Women have also led the forefront in The Great Resignation, a massive exodus of employees leaving their jobs. According to the Asian Development Bank, more women than men left their jobs in Southeast Asia.

Fortunately, Singaporean women seem to be bouncing back. In the last decade, more and more women are joining the workforce – including in fields that were considered male-dominated, such as tech and finance.

With experts such as the World Economic Forum indicating that this resignation phenomenon is far from over, employers must create more favourable working environments for women that help unload the gender-based disadvantage that prevent them from seeking leadership roles.

Companies stand to benefit from providing more equitable opportunities for women to succeed and advance in the workplace. Here is why employers need to empower more women at work.

You benefit from diverse ideas. A diverse workplace is good for the organisation’s bottom line. Especially in industries where most senior leaders are composed of men, women immediately bring a fresh perspective to the boardroom, which trickles down to the rest of the organisation. A company that encourages diverse voices and ideas results in employees feeling more heard and intrinsically motivated to perform well and achieve.

More diverse ideas mean bringing a broader range of creative solutions to the table, increasing your company’s chances of success.

Also read: How Mothers Going Back To Work Can Help Your Company

You would be hiring leaders with a diverse range of skills. Because women usually wear many hats and take on various roles in life, they would have likely developed a wide range of skills that are assets in the workplace. Aside from possessing the technical skills needed for the job, transferable skills such as multitasking, project management, budgeting, efficiency, and even empathy become crucial capabilities needed for an extra edge in leadership.

Promoting female leaders helps your bottom line. Who says only men are suited to the boardroom? History has taught us time and again that women can effortlessly take on traditional “men’s jobs.” During World War II, women took over men’s jobs, driving industrial production in the U.S. and ensuring consistent supplies.

Promoting more women fills roles that need to be covered, addressing talent shortages that could be costing your organisation more. Plus, having more female leaders could be more advantageous to your bottom line. Even in the boardroom, companies may face financial repercussions. Organisations in the top percentile for gender or racial and ethnic diversity were found to have higher financial returns than their industry medians. 

Your organisation could be missing out on its best potential with a shortage of female leaders in the workplace. Here are ways to help empower and promote female leadership and boost gender inclusivity in the workplace.

Know and understand what women want from a role. Once you know the reasons most women choose to leave the workplace short of a promotion, it is necessary to understand what attracts them to a senior role and makes them stay in an organisation. Child responsibility and household management will continue to be a concern for women leaders, along with career progression and well-being programs available at work.

Thus, it is necessary that while their professional work keeps them fulfilled and on their toes, this will allow them to juggle household responsibilities. They will also likely look into competitive salaries or compensation packages, flexibility, and a clear career progression. To learn more about what employees want in a job, read JobStreet’s Decoding Global Talent report.

Implement women-friendly policies such as flexible working arrangements. Many employees that participated in The Great Resignation wanted more flexible working arrangements such as hybrid or WFH schemes for a better work-life balance. The 2021 JobStreet Report also reveals that more employees are looking for flexible and remote working arrangements, especially after the pandemic.

It is especially true for working mothers who prefer flexible arrangements so they can continue to tend to their household duties while continuing to work. 

Provide childcare support and well-being initiatives. Providing childcare support and other family-friendly policies sets a company apart and improves diversity and gender equality initiatives.

That said, not all support needs to be financial. In the aftermath of Covid, well-being programmes help employees lead happier lives and promote a better work-life balance. Check out company perks such as free counselling, mental health breaks, or stress management sessions that can help women feel more appreciated and valued at work.

Offer mentoring opportunities for women leaders and trainees. A mentor can help support women as they find their ground in a leadership role – even better if they are guided by a fellow female leader. It is also especially helpful for the long-term, such as offering a mentorship programme for female management trainees so they may learn to assert themselves, find their voice, and learn the ways to take charge at work.

An old Chinese proverb says “Women hold up half of the sky.” Promoting more female leaders in the workplace is a meaningful step in achieving diversity, equality, and inclusivity in your organisation. Visit our Employers Insights page to learn more. Register now to find the most suitable jobseekers for your company.