Durban – More than two thirds of South African managers are men, says financial director of CCI South Africa Anusha Ramraj, who questions where local companies are falling short and what could be learnt from those getting it right.
Born and based in KwaZulu-Natal, Ramraj said while working as a call centre agent, she watched men in suits enter the company and promised herself that one day she would be among them.
As Women's Month draws to a close, Ramraj reflects on her journey from call centre agent to financial director of a contact centre.
“It doesn’t surprise me that more than two thirds of managerial positions in South Africa belong to men. Today female professionals are still facing many of the same challenges I did when I first began my career.”
Ramraj said although she came from a humble background, she had support from her family.
“My dad encouraged me to achieve my dreams and pushed me to achieve more. I didn’t know that when I entered the workplace, there would be a glass ceiling to break, because he never allowed me to believe there was one.
“But when I started work as a call centre agent 23 years ago, I quickly discovered that as a society we still keep women in boxes. Even today as a director, I can sit in a meeting with stakeholders outside of my organisation and be made to feel invisible simply because I’m a woman.”
Ramraj said a critical shift in mindset was needed. The theme of Women’s Month this year, “Building Back Better for Women's Resilience”, was a reminder that we all needed to play a part in helping achieve gender equality by 2030, she added.
Ramraj shares five successful strategies to bridge the gender divide:
1. Leaders who walk the talk
- Success begins with the leadership at the top. Many companies have the appetite to see more women in management, but lack understanding of how to create a culture in which women are seen and recognised as leaders.
- Defer to the expertise of the team members, whether they be men or women. This creates the space to make decisions that benefit the business. That’s true empowerment.
2. Vision backed by policy
- Often companies that have a vision for transformation fall short because their commitment isn’t backed by organisational structures.
- Formal policies strengthened by development programmes ensure women leaders are set up for success.
3. Access to mentorship
- Research shows that employees who are mentored can be promoted up to five times more often than those who are not.
- At CCI there are women at the most senior levels of the company who are active in ensuring women throughout the organisation have the practical support they need.
4. Looking beyond experience to potential
- One of the knock-on challenges of working in a traditionally male-dominated industry is that there are few experienced women to call on for senior leadership roles.
- This can become a perpetuating cycle that ensures women never gain that vital experience. One of the ways to overcome this is by recruiting for potential rather than experience.
5. Holistic career development
- On average, South African women spend at least two hours each day on family responsibilities.
- Balancing these commitments with their career often affects not only their chances of promotion, but also their ability to retain employment.
Ramraj said to begin shifting the status quo for women on a profound scale required everyone to think about how they could contribute.
“As President Ramaphosa puts it, to secure greater diversity, we need social solidarity. We must learn from and support one another on this journey to equality. That is my hope for the future of this country,” she said.