How Women-Focused Mentorship Programs Can Improve Innovation In The Workplace

According to a study highlighted in The Economist, women have contributed significantly to global GDP development, even more than new technology or China and India's contributions. It is just one of many studies that have pointed out the changing role of women in the modern economy and how they boost revenue creation. Realizing the importance of women, forward-thinking companies have taken measures to bridge the gender gap in the workforce, hiring more women at all employment levels.

However, there is a long road ahead.  

To see real growth, it is not enough to merely hire women. Companies must provide them with the resources and opportunities necessary to pursue their careers and obtain leadership positions. In other words, mentoring women in companies are essential. Even though women make up a considerable portion of the workforce in many countries, they are gravely underrepresented in leadership positions. In fact, among the Fortune 500 companies, there are only 22 women CEOs, which is less than 5 percent of CEO positions.

Often, this gender under-representation results from a lack of an active, systemized mentorship program in companies. Women do not have other women advisors and mentors to guide them, to whom they can turn for professional and personal development. Having a trusted and reliable mentor in the early days of one's career can mold you into not just a better professional but a more confident and overall better person, and this is precisely what women in the workforce today lack.

Suppose your company is looking to advance, grow, and stay relevant in the fast-paced economy of today, where competition is increasing by the day. In that case, it is time you consider designing a mentoring program for women to help you get where you want to be. When you focus on mentoring women in your company and provide them access to opportunities and resources they wouldn't have otherwise, you will see growth and development.

Here are some facts to help support the idea that designing a mentoring program for women employees is one of the most intelligent decisions that your company can make today:

·     Gender diverse companies are likely to have higher bottom lines

Studies have shown that companies with higher gender diversity have a 15 percent chance of experiencing increased financial returns than the industry average. It was established by research conducted by McKinsey & Company. Considering this, it's no wonder that companies are increasing their number of women employees.

·     Companies with women on the board earn higher returns

It is seen that companies with more women on the board of directors are likely to experience higher gains on sales by 16 percent than those with very few women on the board. It stresses the importance of providing women with the right mentoring program to access the resources required to climb the career ladder and reach higher leadership positions.

·     A team with more women has a higher collective intelligence

Additionally, research has shown that when a team has an increased number of women as members, the collective intelligence of the team increases. It means that the more women you have in your company, the more intelligent and innovative your company as a whole will become.

Mentorship programs offer tons of benefits both for the company and the participants, so much so that a whopping 71 percent of all Fortune 500 companies have an ongoing formal mentoring program. Couple this with what mentoring women can do, and your company is likely to see unprecedented growth.

If this post was helpful, please consider sharing it with your network - you never know who needs to hear it. Also, sign up for a demo here! Our vision is to create a mentoring planet in which true equality is achieved, and hard work is rewarded, but it's only possible with your participation.