Syntagm > Developing People > Courses | Gender Equality

Gender Equality

Research has shown that both women and men can be unfairly discriminated against in the workplace because their colleagues' and managers' views are influenced, in many cases unconsciously, by stereotypes.  Promoting gender equality in organisations is becoming ever more important, especially now that the Government is bringing in a duty on public bodies to promote Gender Equality.  This will be part of the Equalities bill that will become law in April 2007.

Approach

Our approach to gender equality aims to increase gender intelligence: the awareness and understanding of perceptions about gender: how they originate, how they can be reinforced and how they limit our view of ourselves and others. This approach challenges prejudicial, unhelpful and well established work patterns, whilst at the same time remaining fully supportive of individuals. We create a safe and enjoyable place in which to explore and explode stereotypical dynamics.

This approach can take the form of consulting and/or a one-day workshop (click here for description and outline - Acrobat PDF in new window). Our training is designed to:

• Challenge assumptions around sexist behaviour in men and women
• Raise self-awareness and self-regulation for greater clarity and rigour in communication
• Liberate the individual and the team from gender constraints
• Generate a more fruitful language between and amongst men and women
• Develop gender sensitive strategic and personal action plans
• Put diversity and equal opportunities into practice

Benefits

The business benefits of our approach include:

• A safer and more productive language and behaviour amongst diverse staff and customers
• Greater motivation from a wider range of people through a celebration of diverse identities
• Attracting and keeping a greater range of talent to your workplace
• Developing allies in the people who might normally exclude themselves from diversity issues
• Learning how to walk as well as talk your values
• An environment in which gender is not a barrier to individuals fulfilling their potential in the organization

Facilitators

Valerie Fawcett and Jonathan Heath of Syntagm Ltd. The approach we provide is one pioneered by the Global Resonance group of which we are a part and whose pedigree stretches back to within the Human Potential Research Group directed by John Heron at Surrey University in the late 1970s. The workshop is currently being run in-house with the Department of Constitutional Affairs and with the Metropolitan Police as part of their “Gender Agenda” programme. It has also been delivered to other companies such as Barclays Bank, Coutts Consulting and Proctor & Gamble.