This International Women’s Day, author, coach, speaker, and corporate advisor Danielle Dobson is out to help organisations understand how to create more gender equality at work.

How? By breaking the Gender Code.

The Gender Code is that set of default beliefs we all recognise about the ‘natural’ differences between men and women that keep the genders firmly in different boxes: placing women as carers and men as providers. These beliefs create pressures and expectation gaps for both genders which limit our potential.

“While so many organisations have great intentions when it comes to gender equality in the workplace, we’re not going to see real change until we truly unlock the gender stereotypes which are holding women back at work and in life,” Dobson says.  

“Our corporate hierarchies are also designed with men in mind, so it’s no wonder women find it harder to thrive in these structures and have to work twice as hard.”

There is compelling evidence of the need to bring more women into leadership roles in organisations across the world.

It’s not only the right thing to do, it’s the smart thing to do.

And most leaders are convinced of the business case imperative. Yet despite increased investment in diversity and inclusion, and efforts to address the gender inequities in organisations, the lack of women in business persists, and especially in leadership positions and seniority pipelines.

When women are unaware of the Gender Code, it works against them and their success both at home and in the workplace. When leaders in organisations who are striving to support women, are unaware of the Gender Code, their diversity and inclusion efforts will mostly fade away, failing to deliver the promised transformation.

Unless we break the Gender Code, women will continue to be stymied in their careers and business will continue to fail in attracting women into leadership positions.

“With so much upheaval in our organisations and work lives over the last 12 months, we’re actually in a time which is ideal for creating real change. The rule book has gone out the window, and now’s the time for organisations to rethink gender equality,” Dobson says.

Danielle loves working with businesses to identify the organisational change they need to level the playing field. She can help businesses take the first steps toward creating a more equal environment for all genders. Find out more about how Danielle could help your business and break the Gender Code at www.codeconversations.com.au