Gender inequality in the workplace has been a constant topic of discussion for decades. Following that, the enrolment numbers received from the business schools around the world also show a prominent and visible gender gap. The QS Global MBA Rankings 2019 stated that the average proportion of female students on full-time MBA programs worldwide is 39 percent, and 30 percent of the staff and faculty in these business schools are women. The ratios are getting better, the percentages are going up, and more and more business schools have started focussing on this fact and have started working towards getting their student gender ratio more balanced to eventually help women get leadership roles and benefits.
The challenges of a busy lifestyle, managing work, family, and study, the financial costs involved with a management degree, and limited access to a reputed college with women-friendly facilities are mostly the reasons business schools having fewer women enrolments. It is pertinent to note that these statistics are also tied in to the number of women who are opting for higher studies in a country like India, where the gross enrolment ratios are lower in comparison to the rest of the world. Even though the number of women in India, enrolling for higher education, has gone up at a larger level however the percentage of women entering technical courses like technology and management is yet low.
The business schools are aware, and they are tenaciously and effectively working towards making changes and extending support to the women population in terms of policies and financial aid to encourage enrolment. The inequality of the women population in workplaces and leadership positions can only be sorted with such initiatives from the education sector since this will give them the right framework and support needed to grow in their careers.
KPMG conducted a study which found out that 67 percent of women reported and agreed that they had learned the most important leadership lessons and qualities from other women.
Diversification is paramount for overall growth: It has been noted that a man and a woman approach a problem in their unique ways. Having a good strength of women classmates results in more diversified learning of the whole class, teaches inclusion and promotes a productive learning environment for all, showed a study done by the University of Wisconsin-Madison. MBA schools have been promoting this to get the attention of female students and help them understand their role as significant minds.
The need for the Organizations when it comes to managers: Organizations want managers who are adaptive and inclusive in their problem solving and decision-making skills. Hence, an MBA class having good diversity will have a more nuanced and sensitive perspective to any issue being discussed. It therefore turns out to be a win-win for both the business school as well as the firm hiring from that business school.
Scholarships and financial aid: Business schools have been taking extra initiatives to lessen the gender gap amongst their students. Many of the renowned schools have announced special women scholarships and financial aid programs to facilitate gender parity. Since limited finance is the concern one faces while thinking of higher education, this facility is also responsible for increasing the percentage of women management graduates, which in turn puts more women candidates on the job market.
Encouraging female staff and faculty: In 2015, KPMG conducted a study which found out that 67 percent of women reported and agreed that they had learned the most important leadership lessons and qualities from other women. This shows how important it is to have the presence of an influential woman figure around while going through the whole learning phase. Witnessing female faculty delivering lectures and working in an authoritative position plays an important role in encouraging the new generation of women in business to reach their potential, which in time will hopefully address the lack of female leaders.
Offering flexible courses: After a certain age, a woman has multiple roles to play in her life. One of the biggest hindrances in the path of higher education for women in most countries is the number of roles she has to play in her family and the time she has to devote to her personal life and multitask. Having a flexible course structure, virtual classroom programs, and executive programs solves this problem and attract all those women to continue and pursue higher education after a logical break. This present-day modernist education system is trying its best to provide the necessary means to the women students out there only so that they can give an equal chance to the women as well to get into good organizations and make a name for themselves.
Encouraging fair placements and women supportive organizations – To facilitate women recruitment and placements, business schools ensure that organizations who are a part of their hiring drive have a fair pay parity clause when it comes to remuneration and they do not discriminate based on gender while hiring. Most of the business schools around the world have requested, shown interest, and encouraged women supportive organizations to be a part of their drive to boost the morale of the students and provide them with the hope of a fair selection process. These steps will help in bridging the gaps around gender inequality and also inspire many women to come forward and join the workforce.
