Wednesday 11 April 2012
Implementing flexible working policies can help achieve a greater balance of equality between sexes in the workplace, it has been claimed.
EU justice commissioner Viviane Reding recently raised the possibility of legislation to introduce greater equality at boardroom level.
This followed a report which revealed slow progress is being made towards gender equality at the higher level of firms.
And according to Jane C Woods, director of changingpeople.co.uk, forward-thinking companies "should audit all of their policies and procedures and have a look to see whether they're gender-friendly".
She suggested that flexible working can help to level the gender playing field.
"I think the idea of the 9 to 5 day evolved primarily based on the principle that there's someone at home doing everything. If you don't have someone at home doing everything - whatever gender you are - it doesn't really work," Ms Woods added.
"There are lots of other ways of doing it, so flexible working is absolutely [a good thing]."
She suggested that the onus is also on female employees themselves to challenge the status quo.
"In terms of what women could do, I think women sometimes need to invest in themselves and take steps to put themselves [forward]. Women do hold back and undersell themselves," Ms Woods suggested.
Posted by Sarah Parish