Find useful advice and resources to help guide you through each suggested action area in your action plan.
Understand the business case for board gender parity and inclusion – beyond a focus on compliance with targets. Understanding the business case for diversity and inclusion is critical in the journey for gender parity. Below are some suggested materials to help you in understanding the research and how gender parity increases board and organisational performance.
Compare the board that you work closely with and their diversity performance with other boards (e.g. government, private and NFP sectors). Knowing the diversity performance of different boards provides an insight for you as a recruiter to understand any potential barriers impacting the selection of women into board directorships.
Share with the board and other key decision-makers the research showing the value of gender parity and inclusion. Finding time to read the vast amounts of research on the business case for gender parity can be overwhelming. As part of recruitment efforts, presenting an overview of the business case for gender parity can encourage board member and key decision-maker awareness.
Have an honest conversation with the board chair, board and other key decision-makers (e.g. industry groups) about the topic of gender parity and inclusion, including the business case and risks of inaction.
Ensuring senior leaders share a personal belief in the need to change, and a willingness to challenge the status quo is an important first step in the journey. This will require an open and authentic conversation about the current state and the value of diversity and inclusion at a board. More than just talk, it will also require staunch commitment and a conscious decision to act.
Below are some suggested questions to help you start a conversation with other board members around diversity and inclusion, including different frames of reference, beliefs and appetite for change.
Engage in professional development relating to unconscious bias and strategies to disrupt its impact during recruitment. Understanding the impact that unconscious bias can have on recruitment is a great first step in promoting a diverse and inclusive workplace. The resources below can increase your awareness of unconscious bias as well as tactics to help you address them.
Include diversity within the board’s skills matrix (i.e. within the skills based framework, boards should strive for greater diversity). Below is an example skills matrix template that outlines key skills and capabilities as well as gender, age and ethnicity organisation-wide.
Conduct a role analysis for every role you plan to recruit to (not just new ones). Deconstruct what is actually required in terms of skills and capabilities. Challenge any inappropriate selection criteria which may unintentionally influence the gender balance of candidates and formally notify key decision-makers to take action.
Include a demonstrated track-record of commitment to diversity and inclusive behaviours as personal qualities in the selection criteria. Having a candidate that has a history of being involved in advocating for diversity and inclusion or demonstrates a strong commitment to inclusive behaviours should be a key criteria when selecting a candidate.
Ensure the board chair and other key decision-makers have formally approved the suggested selection criteria. Having formal board approval for the selection criteria further reinforces board commitment to diversity and inclusion as well as ensuring new candidates share the same demonstrated commitment.
In conjunction with board or key decision-makers, identify gender specific targets in the recruitment process. Some examples include:
Set clear targets with timelines to ensure progress can be measured.
Consider setting interim goals and measures as steps towards a longer term goal. This will focus immediate efforts and encourage momentum, while enabling the organisation to monitor progress.
Ensure managers are able to influence the metrics and have appropriate control over the strategies and initiatives to achieve the targets.
Set targets that can be achieved. This requires a thorough analysis of all of the possible barriers to achieving targets and the support needed for maximising the opportunities to achieve them.
Create managerial accountabilities and rewards, e.g. linking remuneration to achieving targets
Learn more about how to set gender diversity targets .
Share the business case for gender parity and inclusion with those who nominate potential candidates.
Request individuals, groups or organisations to provide gender-balanced list of nominations.
Having a gender balanced list to choose from is a simple and effective way to bring more women into the running for board positions. This simple, yet effective strategy is the first step in achieving gender parity on boards.
Review the language in the advertisement and role description for gender bias.
There is increasing evidence that gender biased language in job advertisements exists, and can work to (unintentionally) sustain gender inequality by discouraging female applicants to apply.
Engage a professional search agency with a track record of commitment to gender parity, including successful placement of female board directors, and require the consultant to comply with the candidate list targets set.
Post expression of interest opportunities on a variety of websites to encourage applications from suitably qualified applicants.
Below is a selection of forums that post board opportunities that a wide range of audiences can access.
Prior to commencing a candidate search, contact the Department of Premier and Cabinet and provide a detailed summary for the role you are seeking to fill and the key skills and attributes needed to be successful in the role. In the comments field, request 50% of candidates to be female.
Assist women applying to Queensland Register of Nominee’s (QRON) to accurately represent their skills and experience.
Females tend to under represent their skills and experience when applying for new roles. Below are some examples of how to write winning board CVs.
Serving on a government board, committee or statutory authority is a rewarding and productive way to get involved with government and help shape Queensland. Find out how to apply to join the register.
Ensure the suggested make-up of the selection panel, provided to the board and other key decision-makers, is gender balanced.
Include only panel members with a demonstrable track record of commitment to gender parity and inclusion.
Ensure the board chair and other key decision-maker(s) have formally approved the selection panel.
Use a standard application form to ensure consistent information is obtained from all candidates.
Using a standard application form allows for an equitable short-listing of applicants by providing a more transparent and objective approach reducing the risks of assessing applicants on non-job relevant criteria.
Develop interview guidelines to help the panel members be fair and objective in decision-making.
For example, structured interviews including a list of questions to ask all candidates, using individual scorecards to rate candidates based on the role criteria, engaging in note taking and documenting justification for decisions are key practices that should be adopted when recruiting.
Include information on diversity and inclusion in the board induction pack.
The below articles are just a sample of the vast research available on diversity and inclusion.
Suggest to chairs an update to their onboarding processes such as first meeting kick-off when a new member joins.
Having diversity and inclusion incorporated in the onboarding process sets the tone for new recruits and further reinforces the organisation’s commitment to diversity and inclusion.
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