Millennial women
CEO of Amrop Landelahni:Sandra Burmeister
Millennial women, born between 1980 and 1995, form the leadership pipeline for the future. By 2020, they are expected to make up one quarter of the labour force. Currently between 19 and 34 years of age, these women have very different approaches to the world of work compared to their predecessors. It's time the corporate world took notice of them.
This isn't just about equity targets. It's about a culture shift in the DNA of the company, which recognises the unique contributions that women at work can make. There has been a lot of attention recently on women on boards and in executive management. This continues to be important, since change in the top ranks is needed to drive change throughout the company. However, we also need to focus on talented younger women, prepare them for leadership roles and accelerate their rate of progress up the corporate hierarchy.
In South Africa, women now outnumber men by almost two to one in obtaining tertiary degree qualifications. Even in the sciences there is an upward trend. Millennial women are soaring ahead in universities and technical colleges.
Female engineering graduates across all disciplines increased from 9% in 1999 to 26% in 2011. Over the same 12-year period, female information and communications technology graduates increased from 9% to 26%.
The accounting discipline has also made astounding progress:
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In 1999, accounting graduates reflected a 50/50 gender split.
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By 2011, women had overtaken men to represent 58% of all graduations.
Attracting this millennial talent - a generation born in a digital era defined by constant technological advancement and rapid globalisation - demands a different leadership approach.
PwC states in its Next Generation Diversity report that "to become a change catalyst ... organisations must drive parallel efforts which tackle enhanced leadership diversity in conjunction with systemic change efforts targeting their workforce from day one."
The PwC survey shows that opportunities for career progression and a strong record on equality and diversity are important employer characteristics sought after by female millennials. More than 80% of the survey participants say these are important factors in deciding if they want to work for an organisation.
Leaders must identify millennial women's motivational drivers.
The challenge facing today's leaders is to identify what drives millennial women at work so that they can implement flexible acquisition, retention and reward strategies that align to these aspirations.
The new workplace needs a mix of talent to deliver innovations needed to keep business competitive. The potential for high-performance is something that millennial women possess in abundance, but they can also be high-maintenance employees.
The days of a 30-year career are long gone. Shorter tenure and alternative employment models have become the norm. The global shortage in highly skilled professions has led to skills mobility. And of course, as a result of technological change, skills become obsolete faster.
Smart leaders are building international assignments into their leadership development plans for women, and using specialised projects as a means both to build skills and hold the attention of highly talented individuals.
A recent Ketchum Leadership Communication Monitor shows that women at work perform markedly better than men on the four attributes deemed most important for effective leaders. These are:
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Leading by example,
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Transparent communication,
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Admitting mistakes,
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Bringing out the best in others, and
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Handling controversial issues or crises calmly.
It''s time to celebrate the unique characteristics that women bring to the new world of work, rather than trading in outdated male paradigms. Making the most of female millennial talent will benefit both public and private-sector organisations - and the women who work in them.
About Sandra Burmeister
Sandra Burmeister is the CEO of Amrop Landelahni. She founded Landelahni in 1996, and the following year the firm was appointed the sole Amrop partner in Africa. Sandra has been responsible for growing Landelahni into a group of companies offering a range of executive search and leadership development solutions, while championing the advancement of women in business.
http://www.landelahni.co.za