Are male managers blocking efforts to achieve gender equity in the UK?

New research in the UK has been released by the Chartered Management Institute indicating that male managers are blocking the efforts of companies to achieve gender balance.  Off the back of the sexist comments that were levelled at the Aviva CEO last week at their AGM, this reinforces that we collectively have much to do to continue to strive for gender equity across corporate UK.  

It is clear that organisations need to continue to work with their Managers to ensure that gender equity and inclusion continues to be given the focus it requires. So, what practically should businesses be investing in?

• Surveying the female population of the workforce to understand the challenges that exist that prevent or deter females from progressing their careers
• Introduction of return to work programmes as a way of proactively supporting women back to the workplace
• Introduction of reverse mentoring and sponsorship programmes to enable leaders to better understand the challenges faced by women and taking an active role in supporting female talent
• Continuing to use education and learning for the entire workforce on subjects such as bias, allyship and conscious inclusion, supporting Managers to build a positive, inclusive culture for all.

What do you think?  What more should organisations be doing to prioritise gender equity?  Please share your comments here.