Presented by Sage

5 reasons the payroll space needs more women

 ·22 Aug 2022

Gender diversity in the workplace ensures a broader talent pool, different perspectives, and improved staff retention, according to an article by Meta’s Workplace.

Additionally, Deloitte research shows that organisations with more diverse workforces display better performance than those whose workforces are male-dominant.

Other well-documented benefits of gender diversity in the workplace include increased innovation, better financial performance, and superior employee engagement.

At Sage, we are strong supporters of gender equality in the workplace – both because it is important for society, and because it improves how businesses operate.

We have outlined five key reasons why we believe it is essential to hire women in the payroll space.

1. Enable working from home

Research shows that a higher percentage of women work from home, and 91% of women want flexible working hours.

There are several reasons for this, including childcare and cost savings.

Payroll positions are more suited to working from home and can have flexible hours, so it follows that businesses would look to women to fulfill these roles.

2. War for talent

The war for talent has many companies struggling to find individuals with the skills they need.

Companies should therefore be tapping into every available resource, and this means giving talented women opportunities to showcase their skills.

Women bring many valuable skills to the table and are the key to unlocking an equitable, talent-rich future.

3. Soft skills

A fundamental part of a payroll manager’s job is dealing directly with people, and this means they need great interpersonal skills.

Research shows that 76% of accountancy jobs require candidates with impressive soft skills, such as communication and empathy.

These are traits that are more commonly found in women, as they tend to have better listening skills, are more empathetic, and are better at reading body language and nonverbal cues, according to Forbes.

4. Approachability

Salary discussions and fixing payroll errors are awkward for most people.

It is therefore important that companies have payroll professionals who are approachable – and women have the soft skills that generally make them more approachable than men.

Staff will feel more comfortable approaching the payroll team and sorting out an issue as a result.

5. Gender diversity

The rate of unemployment among women is higher than it is for men – and this gap needs to be closed to ensure an equitable future.

Gender diversity in the workplace also boosts morale, as shown by the fact that diverse work environments exhibit significantly better staff retention.

“As a woman, people expect you to fail because the industry is more sceptical of women leaders,” said Axcelerate CEO, Refentse Masha.

“I would say women are just as capable as men of building empires, but that cannot happen overnight; just like Rome was not built in one day.”

Click here to learn more about Sage’s payroll solutions.

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