While it’s heartening to see such progress and we have indeed seen numbers improve over time, it’s far from enough....
opinion
Leaders have the power to transform – and a critical component in this wheel of transformation is women. In societies that have faced widespread structural inequalities and systems, women leaders can bring lasting changes. Public and private institutions alike are recognising these facts and have been working towards empowering women and increasing their participation in Pakistan’s workforce.
While it’s heartening to see such progress and we have indeed seen numbers improve over time, it’s far from enough. At 22 per cent, Pakistan has one of the lowest female labour force participation rates in South Asia. Low education levels, a lack of access to safe transport, social norms, and household responsibilities limit women from entering and being retained in the formal workforce.
Studies have shown that having more women in leadership positions improve profitability and that trillions can be added to an economy simply by empowering more women. Thus, development by and for women is critical for Pakistan’s inclusive growth. Women at the front and centre of decision-making can help improve policies and initiatives, especially in the country’s corporate sector. If we are to adequately represent and serve 50 per cent of the world’s population, we need gender equality at the highest levels of any organisation.
In the journey towards enabling higher female participation in the workforce and allowing for further female leaders in the country, I think, step one is simply gathering more information on how women choose to work. We need a better understanding of the demands placed on women, both at the workplace and at home. When there’s a conflict of interest, women are more likely to choose family over work and we need to learn to normalise such choices and requirements as part of regular work culture.
It’s in this area, I believe, that the transition to remote work or implementation of a work-from-anywhere (WFA) model can prove to be a holistic solution. Flexibility at work has worked wonders for female employees all over the world. Once we eliminate travel and fixed 9-5 schedules as a requirement, we open the doors to a more supportive culture and a gender diverse workforce. At our organisation, we have successfully implemented the WFA model and it has enabled us to attract, retain and grow talented female employees thereby, significantly increasing our diversity scores way higher than the country average.
We can now focus on outcomes over gender and productivity and skills over time spent in the office. WFA is also forcing us to overhaul our evaluation processes to be more analytics and data based, which will again go a long way towards eliminating systemic bias and improving accountability. We can also use this opportunity to re-integrate skilled workers, especially women who have had to take a break from their careers, into the workforce. Again, the idea is to encourage more women to participate in the economy by respecting the choices they have to make while fairly acknowledging their skills and contributions.
Curated roles and leadership programmes specifically targeted at women are essential. Sure, a comfortable, less discriminatory workplace will help more women stick around, but we also need to eliminate barriers when it comes to climbing the proverbial corporate ladder.
The responsibility of making this happen also falls on women like me, who are in senior leadership positions. Taking the time to pass that information on and mentor a new generation of working women will certainly help. Moreover, a commitment to hire women at all levels of the organisation will substantially aid organisations in bridging the gender divide. Some companies have women-only support groups and programmes designed for just this purpose, and perhaps it’s time this was the norm in all organisations.
With the employment rate for women consistently increasing and a growing number of women holding managerial positions, the country is making strides towards gender equality in the workplace. This growth is seen across industries, from agriculture to finance, and in both urban and rural areas and evidenced submission over the years serves as a testament to the progress made. Government policies are also supportive to promote female participation as it is mandatory to have at least one female member in the board. This is a positive development, demonstrating that the country is making noticeable strides in enabling purposeful transformations for women in the corporate sector.
Approximately, 2 to 3 decades ago, female employment was predominantly limited to medical and HR roles. However, in recent years, Pakistani women have taken over almost every sector be it Finance, Sales, Media and more. Thus, immense strides have been made in this area and there is no doubt that women in Pakistan have started taking up leadership roles in many industries. So much so that today, one in five board members in the country is a woman.
I strongly believe that this is a positive sign since women leaders directly translate to better representation and a more mindful and inclusive corporate culture ultimately boosting Pakistan’s socioeconomic environment and economy in the years to come.
The writer is the Head of Mashreq Global Network Pakistan (MGNP).
