Could gender equality be the innovation boost utilities need?

Since 2014, we’ve highlighted the urgent need to get more women into the most senior roles at utilities through the EY Women in Power and Utilities Index. Of course, diversity goes far beyond gender, but since women make up roughly 50% of the potential workforce, the impact that improving gender equality will make is immense.

But five years after our first set of findings the figures remain disappointingly low.

• 17% of total board members are women — up 2% from 2014.
• 21% of non-executive board members are women — up 3% from 2014.
• 6% of executive board members are women — up 2% from 2014.
• 15% of senior management team members are women — up 3% from 2014.

The index results show that, even as transformation drives the need to do things differently, few utilities are hearing diverse perspectives at the leadership level. And while research has already proven that a lack of gender equality puts utilities at a distinct disadvantage — boards with at least 30% women have higher profit margins than those who don’t — we now see increasing evidence linking diversity to innovation, which is critical to successfully navigating disruption in this transformative age.

Is accelerating gender equality the catalyst to accelerating innovation in utilities? Research suggests it is. A study by the Center for Talent Innovation found that companies with diversity are 70% more likely to capture new markets and 75% more likely to get innovative ideas to market. Evidence also suggests diversity leads to improved outcomes – research by Cloverpop found that teams with diversity (including age, gender and geography) make better decisions 87% of the time.

The gender-equality gap at utilities is challenging — but it also represents an enormous opportunity. If utilities can improve their gender equality, even incrementally, evidence suggests they will also boost their innovation quotient. And those utilities that are prioritizing improving gender equality say they already see benefits in three key areas that underpin innovation.

1. Applying different perspectives to unlock better solutions

People with diverse backgrounds not only bring different approaches to problem-solving; they also encourage other team members to recognize and value this diversity of perspectives. This can disrupt “groupthink” and challenge teams to develop fresh solutions to difficult problems.

2. Adapting to change and moving with agility

Navigating disruption successfully requires utilities to move far more quickly than they have in the past. Teams that are more diverse make decisions twice as fast as others — and with half the meetings.

Each utility will need to form its own diversity action plan. Developing yours starts with acknowledging where problems lie. Where’s your particular diversity roadblock? Common issues for your organization to consider are:

Poor representation of women at leadership levels

• How many female leaders do you have? Is this figure improving over time?
• How do you compare to the top utilities in the index?
• Are any key operational roles held by women?

Trouble retaining and nurturing women to leadership

• Do you know how many women leave your company as their career progresses — and why?
• What is your strategy to identify, nurture and advance potential female leaders?

Fragmented and less-impactful diversity initiatives

• Are you still expecting gender equality to improve in your organization organically?
• Do you have a strategy that includes formal programs and multilevel initiatives to attract, retain and promote women? Are these backed by appropriate resources and measured with metrics?
• What mentoring and sponsorship programs do you have in place?

Lack of strong leadership championing diversity

• Is gender equality a board priority?
• What is your target for women in leadership roles — and how is your current leadership supporting this goal?
• Are your leaders mentoring or sponsoring promising women?
• How are you engaging men on this journey? Are you leveraging men as sponsors, mentors and advocates?

Once your organization has recognized its challenges, work can begin to find solutions and reap the proven innovation benefits of a more gender-equal leadership team. Cyntressa emphasizes the importance of personal commitment, as well as industry and company initiatives. “It can take time to see the benefits of change within an organization, but the good news is that each one of us can change our own actions today to make a tangible impact immediately.” One inclusiveness checklist that Cyntressa recommends can help us all review our behavior:

• Do I actively seek and involve different views by bringing people together with different backgrounds and capabilities?
• How do I choose who to mentor? Am I sponsoring anyone who looks and thinks differently than I do?
• Do I recognize and reward those who demonstrate inclusive behaviors in addition to technical skills? And do I coach and support those who do not demonstrate inclusive behaviors?
• To whom am I giving the harshest feedback? Is their performance truly lacking or are they approaching things differently than I might, yet achieving positive outcomes?
• How do I adapt my behavior to varied styles as well as enable my team to better connect with people and clients who are different?
• Do I make it easy for people to discuss flexible working arrangements? Are people able, and trusted, to apply this arrangement?

Wherever you are on your diversity journey, the potential to improve is in your hands. It’s time to make your move.