Training senior leadership to target gender imbalances: our best-practice advise
Training is one of the strategies deployed by MINDtheGEPs partners to increase gender equality in their organisations. Anchored in a thorough understanding of organisational dynamics, the initiative aims to deliver impactful training to influential decision-makers that resonate with leaders at all levels. We now release our best-practice advise in newly issued recommendations.
“Recognising the diverse needs and perspectives across different organisational groups, our guidelines advocate for a holistic approach. Offering adaptable and customisable training helps cater to varying target audiences, ensuring relevance and efficacy” says Katarzyna Krzemińska, Jagiellonian University, one of the authors.
The guidelines underscore the necessity for bespoke training programmes, tailored to new hires or individuals transitioning to new roles within the organisation. These initiatives aim to enhance awareness of gender imbalances, challenge stereotypes, and explore actionable solutions within the academic sphere.
Key recommendations from the brief
- Raise awareness & challenge stereotypes: Implement specialised training targeting influential decision-makers to address gender imbalances and challenge stereotypes in selection processes and merit evaluation.
- Constant availability of training: Provide training continuously or periodically rather than as a one-time event to ensure sustained impact and learning.
- Make sure to prepare and follow-up: Conduct a thorough needs analysis and prepare high-quality content tailored to the audience's needs and institutional context and collect feedback and evaluate training effectiveness continuously, to ensure objectives are met and adjustments are made as necessary.
Krzemińska, Katarzyna., Migalska, Alexandra., Sekuła, Paulina., Stoecker, Ewa (2024) Raising awareness & challenging stereotypes. Training senior leaders to promote gender equality. Zenodo. DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.1108227
About the recommendations
This brief is based on a MINDtheGEPs deliverable, which in turn is based on a combination of desk research, our expertise, partners’ experiences, and existing guidelines. This deliverable includes a set of overall recommendations supporting academic and non-academic organisations to foster the awareness of gender issues in the field of recruitment, retention and career progression. Our guidelines on planned actions are developed to help to understand and prepare organisational change, which should improve gender equality in any institution.
Migalska, Alexandra., Sekuła, Paulina., Stoecker, Ewa., Ní Fhlatharta, Aiofe., & Macmahon, Helena. (2024). D4.1 – Guidelines on planned actions for recruitment and retention. Zenodo. DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.10491838