Studies show that the inclusion of women in leadership positions and gender diversity is necessary, based not only on moral but also on economic grounds – because it pays off. Diversity helps us adjust to changes, as well as successfully develop innovations. Laura Buitkuvienė, Venipak’s HR Manager, talked about women’s leadership, the stereotypes that still exist in the business environment and the potential of female leaders.
In 2020, McKinsey, the global consulting company, published a study assessing the operations and results of 1000 large companies in 15 countries. It showed that companies which have more than 30% female managers outperformed companies that have less. Companies with a higher rate of gender diversity are more likely to have higher profits.
Although gender diversity and the inclusion of women has become a self-evident dogma in business, less than one third of the management positions in Lithuania are currently held by women. Laura Buitkuvienė believes that his tendency will change, with more women taking on leadership positions over the next few years.
Venipak’s management structure has 40% women
“According to Forbes, 10% of the biggest companies in the USA are led by women. Of course, that’s not a large number, but the overall the tendency is growing compared to last year. This means that companies are becoming bolder when it comes to choosing women for senior positions. We are no exception: Sabina Bačiulienė, who has extensive experience in e-commerce, was recently assigned to be our Global Development Manager,” said Venipak’s HR Manager.
40% of the senior management positions are currently held by women at the global company Venipak. They participate in corporate development projects, decision making, setting up strategies and directions, and managing global teams. This year, three more female managers joined Venipak’s management team.
According to L. Buitkuvienė, this management structure emerged naturally, because the company’s culture has always valued gender diversity, which helps to maintain a good balance in various work situations, discussions and decision making.
“I do not feel any prejudice based on gender in the company. When it comes to choosing managers, the company has an open culture and highlights equality. If the candidate has the right expertise, it doesn’t matter if they are male or female. We choose an individual based on their professionalism, experience and other required skills,” said L. Buitkuvienė.
5 manager qualities that are not defined by gender
Even though Venipak follows the principles of equality, when choosing a manager specific skills are required, regardless of the field.
“Knowledge of financial management, logical, analytical and strategical thinking, and quick reactions are needed for our manager positions. To check these competences, we use the following tools: Personal qualities are determined by the Facet 5 test, while an IQ test evaluates their logical thinking and reactions to various situations. We also ask them to do homework, focused on a specific task. No matter the gender of the candidate, the requirements for a manager’s position are the same,” explained L. Buitkuvienė.
According to her, a company looking for a new leader should clearly define the profile of a suitable manager and their critical abilities. For example, Venipak selects managers based on five key qualities: control, will, energy, empathy and emotionality.
“Our practice shows that, for a manager’s position, hard qualities are more important than the soft ones. Therefore, I believe that any company, after assessing the qualities they need in a manager, will no longer have concerns about whether the manager should be man or a woman,” said L. Buitkuvienė.
Proportions of “male” and “female” professions will change
There are still some stereotypes about female leaders in both society and business. According to Venipak’s HR Manager, one of the most common stereotype is that women are more emotional and more empathetic.
“Practice shows that women are perfectly capable of controlling their emotions, remaining pragmatic, making logical decisions and managing companies,” said L. Buitkuvienė. “Of course, it is impossible to avoid situations where managers use their emotions – we are all human and it doesn’t matter if you’re man or a woman, as the environment and personal problems affect all of us in one way or another.”
Society tends to categorise professions into “male” and “female”. For example, although the situation is changing, a very small proportion of girls choose to study programming.
According to L. Buitkuvienė, there is still a distinction between “male” and “female” jobs in certain positions, especially the ones that require physical strength.
“In the future, work that requires physical strength will be automated, so robots, machinery and special equipment will perform it. I think that the proportions of “male” and “female” professions will change over the next decade. For example, we will see more women working as IT specialists, while more men will become accountants, administrators or customer service specialists. We are already noticing this tendency in our company,” claimed L. Buitkuvienė.
At Venipak, the distinction between “male” and “female” work is disappearing, owing to the fact that more and more girls are choosing courier work.
“Many people are not used to a woman delivering their packages, but our clients are pleasantly surprised,” said the Venipak HR Manager.
What difficulties do women face when pursuing a career?
Companies often justify the fact that they don’t have women in leadership positions, because they don’t apply for these roles. According to L. Buitkuvienė, it’s all about self-confidence: “I have met many women who clearly know what they to achieve and which career path they want to pursue. They are consistent, constantly improving, interested in managing and leadership, and they participate in various activities. If a woman doesn’t have self-confidence, the ambition to pursue a career, or an interest in professional and personal development, she is unlikely to see much of a change in her career. It’s not a bad thing, if it makes her feel good in her role and she likes what she is doing.”
One of the most common difficulties in women’s access to leadership is balancing their family and a career.
“Balancing a family and a career is a big challenge that requires a lot of flexibility and time. But anything is possible, and companies have been giving employees a lot more flexibility lately. The stereotype that staying at work until midnight is proof that you’re doing a good job is no longer believed. Instead, you are measured in terms of the results and the benefits you bring to your company. “Venipak trusts its employees and, depending on the needs of each individual, provides flexible working conditions to ensure we achieve good results,” said L. Buitkuvienė.
