Quotas appear to be a necessary evil to enable more women to rise to senior positions in the workplace in Australia. For one reason only, nothing else seems to have worked. Frantic activity is being generated to meet gender quotas. However in this frenetic pursuit we need to ensure that people who obtain senior positions have capability, credibility and influence. Positions and titles are one thing; legitimate power to influence however is another.
As anyone who has worked in an organisation knows, management positions that control or directly influence finances have the most seniority within a business. Those in functional positions like HR, Corporate Affairs and Legal are supporting functions. They are there to enable the business and subsequently, in most instances are perceived as important but less influential positions.
According to a study completed by Avivah Wittenber-Cox in April 2014, the top Asian, (including Australian) USA and European companies are still the preserve of men and those women who are in senior positions are predominately in functional positions. This has not changed for over three years
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These functional roles continue to support the men in the key positions who do the “real work”. It is almost like women metaphorically are still in the kitchen at work doing the support and less valued duties. It is my belief that women will only have a significant voice at the decision-making table if they are in positions of legitimate power being both line and functional positions.
In my role as an executive coach and facilitator, I am fortunate to have many honest open and frank conversations with both men and women. I have therefore been fortunate to gain insight into how many perceive their opportunities for career development.
For example, a very capable and experienced woman was recruited into a senior position in an organization and had a very impressive title and was paid very well. The position was recruited specifically for a female. What she realized, once accepting the appointment was she was the workhorse for her male boss who had the power and influence. There were no further career opportunities in real terms. Quota’s were being met but was anything changing in real terms?
One senior manager, when asked why he did not have any female senior executives in his division, said it was very difficult to recruit women as they had been made too comfortable in the jobs they currently held. They had the salaries and the support with the quota system and it was difficult to entice them. This conjures up amazing imagery of kept women with all the creature comforts. It is a concerning way to reframe a backlash.
One partner in a recruitment firm said that there was no point any men applying for any board positions, irrespective of how capable the individuals were. The boards only wanted women. She was not recruiting on capability but gender and resources were so scarce in some industries, that skill and experience were being severely compromised. Her frustration was that this approach could seriously compromise women’s position of power on boards, as women were seen more as trophies’. The word trophies made my skin crawl and again conjured up powerful imagery.
In contrast, a very capable male HR manager who was well respected was on the succession plan to be the GM of HR of a large company. The quota system was introduced and an external female HR executive was recruited into the position with no industry experience and with two years management experience. The whole team both male and females were disappointed. Irrespective of how capable this woman might be, her role is initially positioned as illegitimate in the eyes of the team and the organisation. Couple this with a functional position and her skills of influencing will need to be exceptional to have a voice that is heard in the organisation. Ironically HR is a profession who has significantly more women than men.
Global studies have shown that companies employing women in large numbers outperform their competitors on every measure of profitability. The number of women attending universities is significant and women are competing equally on seven of the ten major disciplines. Women’s capability in the business arena is becoming increasingly recognized.
Being recognized is important, however being recognised as an equal voice at the decision making table is more important. We need to be on high alert that increasing numbers is not the only aim. It is a mechanism that may assist but does not necessarily ensure the legitimate power of women. Conversations need to continue around issues other than the gaining of quota’s if women don’t want to remain in the kitchen at work.
