Making a Difference: Men’s Role in Creating Inclusive Workplaces for Women in PR

Andrea Barrica aptly stated, “What’s often ignored is that diversity is not only a pipeline or recruiting issue. It’s an issue of making the people who do make it through the pipeline want to stay at your company.” This sentiment encapsulates the heart of the matter when it comes to creating inclusive workplaces.

The pursuit of gender equality remains an ongoing journey, not just within Public Relations (PR), but across various industries. Despite significant progress made by women in breaking barriers and assuming leadership roles, men’s involvement in fostering inclusive workplaces is critical. According to the McKinsey Women in the Workplace 2023 report, due to gender disparities in early promotions, men hold approximately 60% of manager-level positions in a typical company. This skew increases as women advance, with fewer opportunities available for them at senior management levels.

Here’s the ABC of how men can actively contribute to the creation of inclusive workplaces:

Advocate for Equal Opportunities: Men in leadership positions wield considerable influence in decision-making processes. By actively advocating for equal opportunities—such as fair hiring practices, promotions based on merit, and equal pay for equal work—men can play a pivotal role in dismantling systemic biases that impede women’s progress in PR.

Be a Mentor: Mentorship is a powerful tool for nurturing talent and facilitating professional growth. Men can serve as mentors by providing guidance, support, and opportunities for women to thrive. Offering constructive feedback and nominating women for high-profile projects and promotions helps in fostering their career advancement.

Challenge Unconscious Bias: As Mahzarin Banaji, a social psychologist, aptly said, “Most people aren’t actually biased or racist in a conscious, explicit way. They’re unconsciously biased.” Men can actively challenge unconscious bias in the workplace by raising awareness, engaging in diversity training, and promoting inclusive behaviors. This includes recognising and addressing stereotypes, assumptions, and microaggressions that may adversely impact women in the workplace.

It’s equally important for men to educate themselves on gender issues and actively seek to understand the experiences and perspectives of their female colleagues. This awareness can inform more empathetic and inclusive leadership practices.

Invest in Education and Training: A recent survey by Aon revealed that only one in nine female employees received promotions in 2023, compared to one in six men. This disparity is often attributed to biases in assessing potential and a significant dropout rate at the mid-management level.

This is an important issue to address as despite higher numbers of women in PR at entry & junior levels, with significant life changes, they tend to take a break during mid-career.

Men in leadership roles can support women’s professional development in PR by investing in education and training programs aimed at enhancing skills, boosting confidence, and nurturing leadership capabilities. Providing access to conferences, workshops, networking events, and continuous learning opportunities can help mitigate attrition at the mid-level and inspire more women to pursue leadership positions.

In conclusion, achieving gender inclusivity requires collaborative efforts from men and women alike. As allies, advocates, and implementers, men play a crucial role in driving gender equality efforts and fostering inclusive workplaces where everyone has the opportunity to thrive.

Theodore Melfi aptly remarked, “You have a responsibility to make inclusion a daily thought, so we can get rid of the word ‘inclusion’.” It’s through sustained commitment and collective action that we can realise a future where inclusivity is not just a goal, but a fundamental aspect of workplace culture.

The views and opinions published here belong to the author and do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of the publisher.

Sunaina Jairath

Sunaina is a seasoned communication consultant with over 2 decades of experience in public relations and policy advocacy. Prior to her role at CRED, Sunaina was with Dentsu network (Perfect Relation) where she was the lead for business development, strategy and client servicing. During her earlier tenure, she has created and executed 360 degree campaigns for brands across social media, policy advocacy, media relations, crisis communication and stakeholder relations. Sunaina holds a PGD from Xaviers. Music, books, travel and coffee are her go-to to destress.