Leaders and employees at odds over how progressive and flexible their organisations are, according to new Accenture research

A new study by Accenture in Ireland has found that a significant gap exists between how leaders and employees view flexibility and progress towards equality within their organisations. The report finds that closing the ‘equality progress gap’ would yield substantial benefits both for companies and their employees.

Accenture hosted its 16th annual celebration of International Women’s Day at the Convention Centre today (Thursday) to explore how the ‘equality progress gap’ could be closed and what it means to be an inclusive leader. The event, which is the longest-running and largest of its kind in Ireland, highlights Accenture’s long-held and renowned commitment to equality that has seen the company play host to a range of figures from business, tech, Government and media since 2004 as part of its annual celebrations for IWD.

In recent years the annual gathering has celebrated successes in gender equality over the last century, looked at how gender parity can be reached in the future, and explored how fostering a culture of equality drives innovation.

The report, “Getting to Equal 2020: The Hidden Value of Culture Makers,” which includes research across 28 countries, including Ireland, found that organisations are at an inflection point: Today’s workforce cares increasingly about workplace culture and believes it is critical to helping them thrive in the workplace (reported by 83% of women and 67% of men working in Ireland), and a majority of leaders in Ireland (73%) believe an inclusive workplace culture is vital to the success of their business.

At the same time, there is a perception gap: Four in five leaders in Ireland (86%) believe employees have flexibility and control over when, where and how they work, yet only one quarter (27%) of employees in Ireland agree. Additionally, over three-quarters of leaders (78%) feel they create empowering environments where people have a sense of belonging, yet just one third (32%) of employees in Ireland agree.

“We are at an inflection point. Employees care increasingly about workplace culture and more companies recognise the importance of equality. Despite growing awareness, progress just isn’t fast enough,” said Dr Michelle Cullen, managing director and Head of Inclusion & Diversity, Accenture in Ireland. “Creating a culture of equality must be at the top of the business agenda. It starts with the belief that diversity is not only the right thing to do but a business imperative that is treated the same as any other strategic priority. When a strong, equal workplace culture is prioritised, everyone benefits—and as a result, organisations unlock greater innovation and growth.”

Furthermore, employees surveyed in Ireland feel much less safe raising a range of sensitive issues than leaders believe. Nine in 10 leaders (90%) believe their employees feel safe enough to be open about physical disability, whereas only 70% of employees agree. Similarly, 85% of leaders believe employees feel safe enough to raise a concern about their mental health, but only 60% of their employees would share this view.

Most leaders also rank diversity and workplace culture low on their list of top organisational priorities. Approximately three-quarters of leaders ranked brand recognition and quality, and financial performance at the top of their list of priorities (81% and 74% respectively), while only 40% ranked diversity and 28% ranked workplace culture at the top.

Narrow the gap, accelerate progress

“Closing the perception gap starts with leaders understanding there is a gap,” said Alastair Blair, country managing director, Accenture in Ireland. “It is an opportunity for leaders to connect with and involve their people — to truly understand how they feel at work. Based on what matters most to their people, leaders can prioritise and take action to close the gap, accelerating true equality for all in their organisation.”

Aligning leaders’ perceptions with those of their employees would yield huge upsides. Everyone—both women and men—would advance faster, and profits would increase by 33% globally.

If the perception gap were closed by half:

· The proportion of women who aim to reach a leadership position in their organisation would climb by 49%.

· The proportion of women who feel like a key member of their team with real influence over decisions would rise from one-in-five to more than one-in-three.

· The proportion of women planning to stay with their current employer over the next 12 months would rise by 4%.

Achieving a culture of equality

The report lays out steps to help close perception gaps and drive progress toward a more equal culture that benefits everyone and enables leaders to continuously evolve their strategies to meet changing needs.

The research reaffirms that bold leadership, comprehensive action and an empowering environment are proven anchors for creating a culture of equality:

· Bold Leadership – Leaders must truly believe that culture matters and prioritise it. For example, benchmark progress toward a culture of equality by setting and publishing targets; and reward and recognise leaders and teams on progress. A culture of equality starts at the top.

· Comprehensive Action – Go beyond the data. Leaders should solicit meaningful, continuous dialogue with employees. Consider face-to-face meetings, focus groups, town halls. Additionally, ongoing, real-time conversations with employees help capture feedback and empower leadership to quickly drive change.

· Empowering Environment – Encourage and cultivate Culture Makers. Create opportunities for future Culture Makers to opt-in and take on specific culture-related roles within their organisations and find ways to bring leaders and culture-minded employees together to develop specific, actionable solutions.

The Culture Makers

The report identified a small percentage of leaders— ‘Culture Makers’—who are more committed to building equal cultures. These leaders recognise the importance of factors such as pay transparency, family leave and the freedom to be creative in helping employees thrive.

Culture Makers are much more likely to have spoken out on a range of workplace issues, including gender equality and sexual harassment/discrimination. They hold themselves accountable, leading organisations that are nearly twice as likely to have publicly announced a target to hire and retain more women.

While just 6% of global leaders surveyed are Culture Makers, they represent a more gender-balanced group compared to the broader group of leaders surveyed (45% women vs 32% of all leaders, respectively). They are more likely to lead organisations where people are advancing, innovative and committed – and their organisations’ profits are nearly three times higher than those of their peers.

Read the global report at accenture.com/gettingtoequal.