Workplace beyond gender
By Henrietta Igbekea
In this era of globalization, the modern-day workplace has evolved as women can no longer grieve being marginalised. The issues of diversity, equity and inclusion have become the centre of public discourse.
With the spate of change in the modern workplace, the proverbial ‘wall’ between the male and female professional has reasonably cracked wide open. It is now about having the right person with the right set of skills occupying the right position. The same measuring parameters now apply to everyone regardless of gender.
One of the most intriguing aspects of the workplace is that organizations are committing to providing an enabling environment for hiring and nurturing individuals for diverse positions and adopting a non-gender base of business operation focused on skills and capabilities rather than gender.
For instance, the workforce demographic data of such digital native companies as Amazon have shown how much diverse and inclusive, they have become. Take Amazon’s published four-year (2018-2021) global gender trend for instance https://www.aboutamazon.com/news/workplace/our-workforce-data, the global workforce as of 2018 stood at Women 41.9% and Men 58.1%. But in 2021, Women stood at 44.8% and Men at 55.2%. A significant difference is seen.
A country like Rwanda is another good example with at least 61% of its women in government parliament having their voice being heard and making decisions that shape the country. The impact of this inclusion can be seen in the country’s health system, educational advancement, thriving economy and being a tourism hotspot.
There are certain things worthy of note about the gender-neutral workplace.
First, women will be hard-pressed to hide under the gender shield as skills and talents now constitute the standard for measuring progress and impact in the workplace; Qualification, education, and skill set will be the dominant factor for assessing growth.
Secondly, continuous upskilling and personal development are necessary requirements to flourish in today’s workplace. The modern workplace will present a theatre of merit rather than mediocrity
Lastly, succeeding in a gender-neutral workplace requires dedication, smart and hard work especially when it leads to delivering results and goals. Having the capacity to perform and produce result in modern workplace will be a factor on which progress is measured.
One must have a great work ethic, being proactive and originate new ideas, collaborative, passionate, and going the extra mile – these are all ways to make a difference in the workplace.
A workplace without the constraint of gender is an asset for both businesses and their employees in its capacity to foster innovation, creativity, and empathy. Companies would become more profitable, and the nation would grow and develop economically for it, but careful nurturing is required to unleash the true potential of this invaluable asset.
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