Our research shows that barriers to progression exist for women at three levels: societal, organisational and personal. We know that meaningful change happens when solutions target all three – all too often we see interventions which focus on ‘fixing women’ but ignore the broader ecosystem within which these barriers exist.
Societal barriers, those unspoken messages we all receive over our lifetimes which reinforce the ways in which men and women ‘should’ behave, significantly hinder women’s career development; we work with your team in key areas such as de-biasing your recruitment system and creating a culture of visible and vocal senior leadership.
We also address organisational barriers – such as lack of access to sponsorship and networks – through culture change programmes and solutions which link inclusion activity to business strategy. When combined with our Breaking Barriers Development and Coaching programmes which help women overcome many of the personal hurdles, our Three Barriers approach effectively drives the systemic change needed for deep rooted transformation.
With our Three Barriers Diagnostic tool, we help organisations get a clear picture of the barriers that are most at play in your business, providing valuable insight on where to most effectively focus investment and resources.
The Three Barriers to Women’s Progression:
To download a PDF of the Three Barriers infographic, click here
Meaningful change cannot be managed and sustained with a series of well-intended interventions, ad hoc training courses and ‘best efforts’ from disparate areas of the organisation. Transformation – and the resulting acceleration of gender equality – comes with programme design that meets the unique challenges and cultural profile of each organisation.
Shape Talent’s equity, diversity and inclusion change programmes are designed by occupational psychologists, EDI specialists and senior talent leaders and informed by evidence-based methodologies. We integrate the latest research with successful approaches to deliver an effective programme of change that addresses the Three Barriers to Gender Equality uncovered in our research.
We believe there are five foundational elements required to build and sustain gender inclusive businesses. Grounded in our experience driving impactful EDI initiatives along with our research, the Shape Talent Acceleration Model is designed to help your organisation overcome barriers and achieve true gender inclusivity.
Find out about the services we offer to break through the barriers
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