We live in a world of contrasting realities and equalities – and the same holds true when it comes to women’s empowerment.
Women’s inequalities are still rampant in various forms in the workplace – from the BBC’s well-known gender pay gap to tales of female entrepreneurs citing an imaginary male co-founder for credibility.
But today’s society increasingly demands that the modern workplace change its norms regarding lack of fair treatment and opportunities given to women. Persisting inequalities between male and female workers must be eradicated, especially in light of the growing volume of evidential data showing that women can be just as effective, if not more so, than men.
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What makes a girl boss?
A 2016 study by the global consulting firm Hay Group found that women surpass men in 11 out
of 12 critical emotional intelligence competencies, such as emotional self-awareness, empathy, conflict management, adaptability, and teamwork — all crucial for effective leadership in any industry, but especially in marketing and advertising.
With companies frequently emphasising the importance of soft skills such as communication, empathy, and self-awareness as desirable professional attributes, recent research highlights a connection between strong character traits and business performance: CEOs who score highly on attributes like compassion and integrity were found to achieve a 9.35 per cent return on assets over two years.
These two complementary figures show that soft skills and emotional intelligence can prove to be a key competitive edge for women in business and advertising.
Thankfully, within the marketing and advertising industry in the region, the culture of inclusivity has long been the norm, though there’s always room for improvement.
The UAE itself is an immersive melting pot of culture, people and backgrounds – which perhaps makes society as a whole better appreciate the value that women bring to the creative table or the boardroom.
Indeed, encouraging gender diversity, especially in advertising and marketing workplaces, should not be seen as tokenism, but a vital tool for businesses to foster creativity and innovation.
How creativity can benefit from DE&I
Men and women will inevitably have different experiences and backgrounds, which shape their approach to business. Challenging each other and collaborating with people who think differently can breed creativity and promote innovative ideas that push the advertising and marketing industry forward.
For instance, empathy and emotional intelligence are critical to the success of a marketing campaign – and being a woman helps you understand situations in a more complex and emotional way, which could help in providing innovative solutions that cater to a variety of consumers.
That’s why there’s an increased global awareness around the idea and many companies are aspiring to practise it. Many are working on initiatives to attract and nurture the female workforce into careers where they can make a real difference.
This matters significantly at the social and national levels too. The UAE, for instance, has always been a champion of women’s empowerment and ensuring that they enjoy equality and fair opportunities in all areas of work. This is a message that reverberates across society and the world.
The philosophy of women is often shaped by a combination of empathy, resilience, and a commitment to inclusivity – and these are vital traits for our industry too.
In a market where things are constantly in flux, people with resilience and adaptability will always find it easier to navigate through the changes. Being a girl boss isn’t as unattainable anymore.
Similarly, empathy and emotional intelligence are essential in catering to consumer needs and collaborating with people in the workplace to create a better outcome in the market. And meticulous attention to detail is another important trait in the marketing and advertising sector – where every detail must be perfect to ensure the success of campaigns big and small. To allow more girl boss creatives in the room, these attributes must be kept in mind by the industry at large.
Women’s empowerment is, therefore, not a set of successful statistics that companies can boast about; it’s all about creating a culture where every voice matters, everyone is heard, and every team member feels empowered. Adopting such a philosophy in the industry can make all the difference for both people and profits.
By Zaina Tahboub, Senior Communications Manager, Western Digital Middle East, Turkey & Africa
