What Should Security Companies Address to Avoid the Gender Gap?

While women are steadily becoming more prevalent in the work force, we still see that males dominate many companies. Studies have shown that businesses benefit from hiring women on their staff. Some of these benefits are an increase in profit margins, innovation, and it provides a more equal and fair work environment. Unfortunately, a lot of businesses aren’t seeing as many women taking roles in their companies, especially when it comes to leadership roles. Security companies are one type of business that often sees more male hires than female. Here are some ways on how to address the gender gap at your security company.

Unconscious Bias

During the hiring process, men are often given more opportunities than women. This is often due to unconscious bias. In a company that is predominantly male, hirers might relate to the males who are interviewing more than the females. To address this issue, it’s important to discuss this unconscious bias and make leaders aware of it. The best way to combat unconscious biases is to be aware of them and work towards changing this mindset.

Invest in Your Female Employees

While there are a few female in leadership roles, there isn’t enough. Investing in the female employees you have will help provide role models for other female employees, it shows them that there are opportunities for them to work their way up. Offer unbiased training for both men and women and engage them in the company.  

Avoid Stereotyping

We are still coming out of the traditional gender roles that have been placed on women in the past. The idea that women should stay at home and take care of the kids and do all the house hold work, while their male counterpart was expected to go to work to pay the bills. Due to this there has been an established gender bias for a long time. To get through this communication and education need to take a forefront.

Educating people about their thought on stereotypes that have been given to them through societal views, is how to work passed this. By breaking the thinking that gender stereotypes are true, you give women more of a chance to prove themselves in the work place. More women will be encouraged to step out of these established roles and start working in male dominant fields.

Offer Flexible Work Hours

In the past, women were expected to do more of the housework than men; this has been changing in the recent years, but women still statically do more at home. Due to this, women have less time to invest into their jobs, especially if they have children. By offering flexible work hours, you give women the option to work and take care of additional responsibilities.

Sexual Harassment

With a more gender mixed work place, leaders might fear that they are setting themselves up for a lawsuit. Educating your workers on appropriate working behavior can stop this from happening. Men and women can coexist in the same working environment without an issues arising.

When it comes to the workforce, women still have a lot of work in creating an equal and fair work environment. Hiring more women can be beneficial to companies, but stereotypes are still holding women back. Women still have work to do in shattering that proverbial glass ceiling. Investing in a diverse work place, is not only right, it will benefit your company in the long run.