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Employer-led networking can help women assess workplace gender dynamics
Employers often cite a lack of female candidates as a barrier to achieving gender parity in the workplace. Yet, that can overlook an important factor – the alienation of women during the hiring process. “A lack of belonging can set in at the first stage of recruitment, and follow women throughout their careers,” says PhD student Janani Ramesh in an interview with HR Reporter. However, employer-led networking can be a powerful tool to recruit women. Women use scouting — mostly with other women — to assess organizations for gender dynamics. “Networking aimed at finding employers and career options can give women a fair chance at professional success,” says Associate Professor Elena Obukhova. “It’s kind of like toxic workplace insurance — you have to do more due diligence to make sure you end up in a good place, because you can’t take that for granted as a woman.”