What We Learned We Can Do - Workforce Gender Equality Accelerated Course

A riddle my dad asked me: "A father and son have a car accident, and both are injured. They are taken to separate hospitals. When the boy is taken in for an operation, the doctor says, 'I cannot do the surgery because this is my son.’ Is the doctor correct?” (The answer is provided in the last paragraph but stay with me and don’t jump ahead). If the answer does not come easily, it implies the amount of work required to tackle unconscious biases around gender roles and advance the gender equality agenda.
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Men and women in the workforce contribute significantly to the global economy, yet women are underrepresented and often go unnoticed. With increasing attention and awareness around diversity, equity, and inclusion (DE&I), several organizations worldwide have started to place gender equality as a top priority. Research shows that gender equality is not only for social inclusion and diversity but also benefits businesses. McKinsey's analysis of 1,000 companies across 12 countries in 2018 [1] found that gender-diverse companies were more profitable than their national industry average. It revealed that gender diversity is correlated with improved company performance.

To bring the research result to life, USAID, in cooperation with the Engendering Industries (USAID EI) Activity, developed a comprehensive interactive course entitled the Workforce Gender Equality Accelerated Course and delivered it for the first time in Asia through the Fulbright University Vietnam.  The course was sponsored by the USAID Enhancing Equality in Energy for Southeast Asia (E4SEA) Activity in cooperation with the USAID Sustainable Energy for Indonesia’s Advancing Resilience (SINAR) Activity.

Focusing on the male-dominated energy sector, the “Workforce Gender Equality Accelerated Course” took place in April  2022 with participants from over half E4SEA’s energy company partners.  The course provided accelerated training to energy company personnel from the region who will serve as agents of change within their organization to further gender equality.  Through a rigorous selection process to ensure that the right people are selected to lead these changes, E4SEA interviewed and finalized the “Change Agents” list with the companies before the course. Once selected, the Change Agents completed two pre-course assessments: a rapid organizational assessment and a self-assessment. The assessment results contribute to the baseline data, allowing the energy companies to measure their progress. The course includes 3 to 5 months of follow-up support to the companies and Change Agents from seasoned Change Management Coaches.

The 11-day course offered an extensive list of learning materials, sharing of best practices, and a platform for participants to share and exchange their ideas and experiences. Through different modules, participants learned about the challenges and benefits of having increased gender equality in workplaces, roles of male leaders as allies, improved organizational culture, gender equitable corporate communication, and how to engage and work with management and leadership to bring about natural and meaningful change. Trainers and coaches facilitating the course brought their extensive experience in gender equality, human resource management, and change management.

Throughout the course, with close support from the facilitators and coaches, each company’s Change Agents integrated what they learned in each module to develop their company’s draft “Gender Equality Action Plan” (GAP). The draft GAPs detail their organization’s top-priority interventions, with accompanying viable strategies, to increase overall gender equality in their organizations. Despite obstacles in different shapes and forms, all participants are left with a firm commitment to driving this vital journey of organizational change.

The draft GAPs primarily focused on employment, leadership, recognition, and promotion. One company with far fewer female employees than its male counterparts has set a goal to increase women in professional positions by 10% within the next three years. Another company aimed to gain recognition as an employer of choice for women and a champion of gender equality.  The GAP for this firm lays out a strategy to achieve a 5% increase of women in leadership and a goal for a growth of 30% of female employees from STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) within five years.

As the course drew to a close, participants’ feedback and post-program assessments confirmed that they had gained the necessary knowledge and skills and were more confident in driving the changes in their organizations. E4SEA and SINAR also provide post-program coaching support from experienced gender specialists and change management coaches to help the companies’ Change Agents implement their GAPs.

And as for the doctor, the doctor was correct. 

The doctor is the boy’s mother.

If it did not come to mind immediately that the doctor could be a woman – or in our minds, we envisioned a male figure in the operating room – we’ve uncovered a bias about gender roles that many of us have.  A goal for E4EA, and its associated activities, is to remove those biases and allow both women and businesses to thrive as a result.

[1] Vivian Hunt, Lareina Yee, Sara Prince, and Sundiatu Dixon-Fyle, 2018, Delivering through diversity, Accessed June 9th, 2022, McKinsey&Company.