The gender gap challenge: HR’s opportunity to take the reins – HR Magazine

Report on Workplace Barriers and Alignment with Sustainable Development Goals

Introduction: Systemic Barriers to Gender Equality

Recent research indicates that systemic barriers continue to impede women’s career progression. These challenges, ranging from bias and discrimination to health and caregiving pressures, directly contravene the principles of several Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), notably SDG 5 (Gender Equality), SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth), and SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities). This report outlines these barriers and proposes strategic interventions for Human Resources (HR) departments to foster inclusive workplaces aligned with global sustainability targets.

Addressing Systemic Bias and Inequality

Challenges to SDG 5 (Gender Equality) and SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities)

Bias remains a significant obstacle to achieving full and effective participation for women in the workplace, a core target of SDG 5. The data reveals a persistent challenge to equality and non-discrimination.

• 69% of women report gender bias as a barrier to progression.
• Nearly 80% of Black and Asian women report experiencing racial or ethnic bias, highlighting an intersectional challenge that undermines SDG 10.

Strategic Interventions for Progress

To dismantle these barriers, HR departments must implement accountable systems that promote equality.

1. Transparent Reporting: Institute clear and public reporting on promotions and pay to identify and address areas of potential bias, contributing to SDG Target 5.5 (ensure women’s full participation in leadership).
2. Sponsorship and Mentoring: Develop formal sponsorship and mentoring programs for underrepresented groups to build professional networks and increase visibility.
3. Reverse Mentoring: Implement reverse mentoring programs where senior leaders learn from junior or diverse employees to improve organisational culture and understanding.

Fostering Inclusive Economic Growth through Technological Empowerment

Bridging the Digital Divide in line with SDG 4 (Quality Education) and SDG 8 (Decent Work)

Anxiety surrounding Artificial Intelligence (AI) presents a new barrier, particularly for young women entering the workforce. This fear threatens to widen the gender gap in technology, running counter to SDG 4’s call for relevant skills for employment and SDG 8’s focus on future-proofing the workforce.

• 43% of young women fear AI will replace them in the workplace.
• A lack of investment in upskilling the female workforce jeopardises organisational resilience in an AI-driven economy.

Actionable Steps for HR Departments

HR leaders can transform AI anxiety into empowerment through targeted development initiatives.

1. Integrated Skills Training: Incorporate AI and digital literacy training into early career development programs to meet SDG Target 4.4 (substantially increase the number of adults with relevant technical skills).
2. Mentorship and Exposure: Provide mentorship and hands-on exposure to emerging technologies, positioning AI as a tool for career advancement rather than a threat.

Supporting Caregivers to Promote Decent Work and Gender Equality

Impact on SDG 5 (Gender Equality) and SDG 8 (Decent Work)

The disproportionate burden of caregiving responsibilities on women remains a major barrier to their career progression, undermining both gender equality (SDG 5) and the goal of full, productive employment for all (SDG 8).

• 77% of women with caregiving responsibilities view this as an obstacle to professional advancement.
• Support must extend beyond childcare to include care for elders and other dependents to ensure all employees can contribute fully.

Policy Recommendations

HR policies must be designed to create an equitable balance between professional and personal responsibilities.

1. Normalise Flexibility: Promote flexible working arrangements for all employees, regardless of gender, to destigmatise their use and encourage shared caregiving.
2. Implement Return-to-Work Programmes: Establish structured re-entry pathways with ongoing mentoring for individuals who have taken career breaks for caregiving, ensuring their skills are retained within the economy.

Integrating Women’s Health into Corporate Well-being Strategies

Alignment with SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being) and SDG 8 (Economic Growth)

Failure to address women’s health issues in the workplace leads to discrimination, absenteeism, and significant economic loss, directly impacting SDG 3 and SDG 8. Supporting employee health is fundamental to sustainable economic productivity.

• One in three women with long-term health conditions reports facing bias or discrimination at work.
• The economic cost of workdays missed by women due to health issues is estimated at nearly £6 billion annually.

Framework for a Supportive Health Policy

HR must move women’s health from a peripheral concern to a core component of corporate policy.

1. Develop Comprehensive Policies: Create policies that cover all aspects of women’s health, including menopause, menstrual health, endometriosis, fertility treatments, and pregnancy loss.
2. Provide Clear Guidance and Support: Offer flexible adjustments, clear guidance for managers, and visible signposting to support services to improve engagement, productivity, and retention.

Conclusion: A Performance Imperative for Sustainable Development

The Role of HR in Achieving the SDGs

Achieving gender parity is an economic and performance imperative, not merely an issue of fairness. The evidence demonstrates that diverse leadership enhances corporate performance, contributing directly to robust and sustainable economic growth as envisioned in the SDGs.

• HR departments are positioned to lead this transformation by embedding the principles of SDG 5, SDG 8, SDG 3, and SDG 10 into corporate strategy.
• Action is required now to dismantle systemic barriers and build workplaces where women can thrive, ensuring lasting change and sustainable success.

Analysis of the Article in Relation to Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

The article discusses systemic barriers for women in the workplace, which connects to several Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) focused on equality, economic growth, health, and education. The primary SDGs addressed are:

• SDG 5: Gender Equality: This is the central theme of the article. It directly addresses the need to end discrimination against women, ensure their full participation and equal opportunities for leadership, and recognize the burden of unpaid care.
• SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth: The article connects gender parity to business performance and economic growth. It discusses the need for full and productive employment for women, safe working environments, and equal opportunities for career progression.
• SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities: The article explicitly mentions the intersection of gender and race, highlighting that “nearly 80% of black and Asian women report racial or ethnic bias.” This directly relates to the goal of reducing inequalities based on sex and race.
• SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being: The article dedicates a section to women’s health, noting that “One in three women with long-term health conditions report facing bias or discrimination at work.” It calls for comprehensive HR policies to support women’s health, linking employee well-being to productivity and economic stability.
• SDG 4: Quality Education: The discussion on Artificial Intelligence (AI) and the fear among young women connects to this goal. The article advocates for “integrating AI and digital skills training into early career development” to ensure women have relevant skills for future employment, which aligns with the goal of promoting lifelong learning opportunities.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

Based on the issues discussed, the following specific SDG targets can be identified:

1. Target 5.1: End all forms of discrimination against all women and girls everywhere.
   • The article highlights that 69% of women face gender bias and nearly 80% of black and Asian women face racial or ethnic bias, which are forms of discrimination that this target aims to eliminate.
2. Target 5.5: Ensure women’s full and effective participation and equal opportunities for leadership at all levels of decision-making in economic and public life.
   • The article’s focus on dismantling “barriers to progression” and using tools like sponsorship and mentoring to help women advance directly supports this target of achieving equal opportunities for leadership.
3. Target 5.4: Recognize and value unpaid care and domestic work through the promotion of shared responsibility.
   • The article identifies that 77% of women with caregiving responsibilities see it as a barrier. It calls for policies that “enable both women and men to balance care and career,” which aligns with promoting shared responsibility.
4. Target 8.5: By 2030, achieve full and productive employment and decent work for all women and men… and equal pay for work of equal value.
   • The article argues that gender parity is a “performance imperative” and calls for creating workplaces where women can “thrive, progress and lead,” contributing to the goal of full and productive employment for all.
5. Target 10.2: By 2030, empower and promote the social, economic and political inclusion of all, irrespective of age, sex, disability, race, colour, ethnicity…
   • By addressing the specific challenges faced by women, including black and Asian women, the article advocates for their economic inclusion and empowerment in the workplace.
6. Target 4.4: By 2030, substantially increase the number of youth and adults who have relevant skills, including technical and vocational skills, for employment, decent jobs and entrepreneurship.
   • The call to “invest in upskilling their female workforce” with AI and digital skills training directly corresponds to this target of equipping adults with relevant skills for employment.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

Yes, the article mentions several statistics and suggests metrics that can serve as indicators to measure progress:

• Perception of Gender Bias: The statistic that “69% of women still say gender bias is a barrier to progression” can be used as an indicator to track changes in the perception of discrimination in the workplace (relevant to Target 5.1).
• Perception of Racial Bias: The finding that “nearly 80% of black and Asian women report racial or ethnic bias” is a specific indicator for measuring intersectional discrimination (relevant to Targets 5.1 and 10.2).
• Impact of Caregiving Responsibilities: The figure that “77% of women with caregiving responsibilities see this as a barrier to progression” serves as an indicator to measure the effectiveness of flexible work and support policies (relevant to Target 5.4).
• Prevalence of Health-Related Discrimination: The statistic that “One in three women with long-term health conditions report facing bias or discrimination at work” can be used to measure the inclusiveness of workplace health policies (relevant to SDG 3).
• Economic Impact of Poor Health Support: The estimate that women’s health issues are “potentially costing the economy almost £6bn annually” is a high-level economic indicator of the consequences of inaction (relevant to SDGs 3 and 8).
• Anxiety over Technological Change: The finding that “43% of young women entering the workforce fear that AI will replace them” can be a baseline indicator to measure the success of upskilling and empowerment programs (relevant to Target 4.4).
• Promotion Rates: The article implies an indicator by suggesting “transparent reporting on promotions” to expose bias. Therefore, promotion rates disaggregated by gender and ethnicity can be a key performance indicator (relevant to Target 5.5).

4. Table of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: hrmagazine.co.uk