Worcester Business Journal

wbjournal.com | February 7, 2022 | Worcester Business Journal 13 their stereotypes." is becomes an issue especially in healthcare and education where women may be viewed as nurturing, but not necessarily competent or task-oriented, Graves said. Stereotypes impact influence, giving less power to women's input. "I feel like people just see women as more nurturing – and some of them are, some of them aren't – but I feel like it's just that natural thought that comes to people's minds," said Rodriguez. "It's harder for us because we're not as respected." Stereotyping can be extremely subtle, but it can go as far as to inform boards and hiring managers in their search for leaders, said Graves. At companies where men have traditionally been executives, it may be difficult to picture a woman holding that role. "When the leader roles are associated with men, it really affects the ability of women to move up in the organization," she said. "e image in people's minds of the person in a managerial or leadership role is male, so women aren't seen as a fit for the position." Because of this tendency, Graves emphasized the importance of creating a solid selection process focused on candidates' knowledge, skills, and abilities to avoid the influence of such implicit biases. Creating an inclusive environment for women goes beyond eliminating stereotypes, however. Organizational norms of overwork or constant physical presence are likely to exclude women, who typically have more household responsibilities than men. A Gallup study from 2020 showed the majority of women are more likely to rearrange their careers for children, and take on more childcare and household duties than their male partners. "ere's a lot of aspects in the decision-making process that people go through in assessing whether or not to take the step forward in terms of moving up in the ranks," said Murphy, from UMass Memorial. Solution: Formalizing the advancement pipeline UMass began a more calculated, system-wide effort to diversify its leadership aer the murder of George Floyd, welcoming its first-ever chief diversity, equity, and inclusion officer, Brian Gibbs, in late 2020. So far, the DEI team has been in the research phase to understand pipelines and barriers to leadership advancement, said Murphy. She emphasized transparency will be key in bridging the divide between employees and employers. Murphy hopes UMass's work will create an executive team more reflective of the healthcare provider's workforce, as well as its patient base. When a company has an informal talent pipeline, candidates for promotion may be judged by perceived necessary qualifications, which may have nothing to do with their ability to succeed in leadership, said AiVi Nguyen, an employment attorney at Worcester law firm Bowditch & Dewey. "It's just a matter of shiing what we value in our employees, shiing the characteristics we value or the diversity we value," she said. Many hiring processes and criteria are outdated and do not account for varying backgrounds, so formalizing and modernizing pipelines will be key for organizations to diversify leadership, Nguyen said. "You just work backwards, like what do you need your employers to do well?" said Nguyen. "You take away all the weird markers that we've had in place forever, like that you didn't graduate top of your class. at doesn't tell you any of the actual qualities that you need in an employee at all." W O M E N I N L E A D E R S H I P F O C U S ROCG is the business exit and value growth specialist. Our "end in mind" proprietary business roadmap helps owners take control over their destiny by planning their business proactively, implementing change, and building business value. Our team of experienced professionals has over two decades worth of proven experience advising small and medium-sized businesses. We offer customized solutions, not cookie cutter plans. As the industry leaders, we are always ready to share our knowledge with our clients. We Help Business Owners: • Re-energize their Business Model • Develop a Strategic Plan to Meet Long-Term Goals • Execute the Plan Successfully Call us at (617) 412-4640 or email to set up a no obligation consultation. 617-412-4640 • americas.rocg.com Numbers Only Tell Half the Story Whether you are looking to pivot, grow or exit your business, ROCG can help you transition from one phase to the next. ROCG - Shepherd & Goldstein Consulting Group, LLC Terry Shepherd Founding Partner Terence.Shepherd@rocg.com Matthew Allison Partner In Charge of S&G's Consulting Division Matt.Allison@rocg.com W

• Cover