How employers can improve their practice by applying a gender lens

To make meaningful progress on gender equality in the workplace, we know that employers need to do more to embed a gender analysis in service design, budget processes, and in all workplace policies and practices. In Equally Safe at Work, one of the criteria under the bronze tier is for employers to review a policy, practice or programme to ensure it’s gender-sensitive. However, what employers have told us is that, for many people, they’re unclear what gender-sensitive or gender analysis mean and even less clear about how to put it into practice.

That’s why we’re pleased to announce that we’ve developed a new resource, Applying a gender lens: a tool for employers, to clearly outline how employers can take a step by step approach for applying a gender analysis to employment policies, initiatives or programmes. It will also complement other mainstreaming work that organisations are undertaking, including equality impact assessments.

What does applying a gender lens mean?

Applying a gender lens, which means the same as doing a gender analysis, refers to reviewing a policy, practice or programme to determine what the differential impact is on women and men. This means understanding the different experiences of women in your workplace and also taking specific actions to address any inequalities. Women face gendered barriers that shape their experience of studying, training and employment. Without understanding and addressing these issues, women will continue to be left behind in the labour market.

The new tool uses modern apprenticeships as a worked example for employers to see how to put the steps into practice. Modern apprenticeships mirror the labour market in terms of framework participation being characterised by occupational segregation and different levels of pay. Modern apprenticeships are also the key entry point into the labour market for many young people, making it a good intervention point and opportunity for influencing the make up of the workforce in certain occupations.

For example, when looking at modern apprenticeships, there are clear differences in who participates in certain frameworks. Between April and June this year, the frameworks that had the highest number of new starts among young women were children and young people, and social services and healthcare. In contrast, for young men, construction frameworks had the highest number of new starts, with the majority of young men joining civil engineering and technical frameworks. We see that young women are concentrated in frameworks which are associated with undervalued work, lower pay and poorer labour market outcomes compared to young men. A further point to consider is around completion rates. Women are more likely to complete their apprenticeship if they’re in a female-dominated framework and less likely to do so if they’re in a male-dominated framework. This clearly highlights the challenges that women face entering male-dominated roles that haven’t considered the different needs of women or risks they may be facing, for example, an increased risk of sexual harassment and sexist workplace cultures.

As well, there are often practical barriers that prevent men and women from entering into non-traditional frameworks which is often overlooked or not factored in. For example, women are more likely than men to have primary responsibilities for children, older people and disabled people. A lack of flexible working or a lack of appropriate notice for college timetables or shifts means that women may not be able to participate in certain frameworks because they are unable to organise childcare in time. As well, for disabled women, who may find flexible working beneficial for managing their condition, a lack of quality flexible working opportunities means that they’re excluded from different roles and workplaces.

For racially minoritised women participating in apprenticeships, who made up 4% of all new starts across all framework between April and June,[1] research has highlighted that they face discrimination, are offered fewer hours per week and received less formal training than their White peers.

To be able to apply a gender lens, employers need to understand the root causes of gender inequality in their workplaces and look at why there are different experiences between men and women. This involves recognising the different expectations, inequalities, levels of power and needs of groups of women and men in the workplace.

What you can do

Our new guidance outlines how employers can develop gender-sensitive practice by following four steps:

• Review and gather data to identify any gaps and determine how you will fill them.
• Identify the gendered differences within your workplace.
• Understand the causes of the gendered differences.
• Take action to address any inequalities and measure progress.

The guidance also highlights the importance of using intersectional data, addressing gendered barriers, and taking action to ensure women’s experiences are included in the design and delivery of workplace policies and practices. It aims to support employers to better understand that applying a gender lens requires targeted and committed action. When applying a gender lens is done right, it has the possibility to transform workplaces to be more representative of its staff, service users and wider community.  

Use our new tool here.

[1] Based on the data from Skills Development Scotland, respondents stated their race or ethnicity was Mixed or Multiple; Asian; African; Caribbean or Black; and Other ethnic group.