This document discusses achieving gender parity, managing workplace harassment, and sustaining work-life balance. It notes that inclusive companies are more successful financially and outlines different career phases for women. Addressing unconscious bias, establishing protections against harassment, and providing flexible work and parental leave are identified as important organizational supports. Professional women are advised to be committed to their work while also having fun outside of it. Professional men are encouraged to be more aware, intentional, and empathetic to enable gender parity. The document emphasizes the importance of being mindful of one's thoughts and actions.

2. PRESS FOR PROGRESS EJEMEN M OKOJIE
MANAGING PARTNER
VEL TRIPLUM
8/3/2018

3. CONVERSATION OBJECTIVES
Reflect and consider our roles
1. Achieving Gender Parity
2. Managing Workplace Harassment
3. Sustaining Work-Life Balance

4. LETS MAKE SURE WE ARE ALIGNED
I wasn’t lucky.. I deserved it… Margaret Thatcher
1. Merit is a baseline for ALL decisions in the workplace
2. Track record of performance is a ticket to more opportunities
3. Workplace politics is REAL– THINK P.I.E!
4. Women have been conditioned to be less ambitious by society
5. Even the BEST of us have UNCONSIOUS BIAS
6. Today is about human right and requires collective effort

5. MODERN WORKPLACE OF TODAY
AGE OF THE OVERWHELMED & DISENGAGED WORKER
1. Recovering from a recession.. Less travel, focus on productivity
2. Digitally disruptive, mobile, social ..always switched on
3. Leveraging technology.. Virtual working, larger span of control
4. Talent remains a challenge: educational curriculum vs business requirements
5. Demographic Shifts …ageism is becoming a concern
6. Variety of workers- contractors, consultants, interns…need different things
7. Some friendly policies in place-flexible working ,paternity, maternity
8. By the way…..still not enough women at leadership levels 

6. BUSINESS CASE FOR GENDER PARITY
Inclusive companies are simply more successful -Facts don’t lie
1. McKinsey- 15% more likely to produce financial returns above industry medians and
35% more likely to outperform if ethically diverse
2. Gerald Foster: Project Fable Africa : diversity is critical in the connected economy
Questions:
•Are we committed to press forward or is this a compliance exercise?
•What deeply held convictions and beliefs do we have?
•Have our leaders and HR created a safe place to question our unconscious biases?
•What have I experienced across my career and what best practices can I share?

7. 7
FEMALE WORK PERSONAS –MAKING IT WORK
• Seeking growth and exposure
• Mobile- open to stretch opportunities
• Balancing family(kids) and work
• May have kids – suffers from guilty
mother/’Superwoman syndrome’
• May be unmarried, under family & societal
pressure
• Building domain expertise
• Further their education
• Less mobile- young family
• Need flexible working more
• Need extended time away to manage the
family/post graduate degree program
• All about legacy
• Being positioned as an expert
/thought leader
• Empty nest syndrome- what to do
with all this free time?
• Provide local/intl opportunities
• Flexible work options
• Parental leave
• Subsidize creche subscriptions/ have in-house
• Provide visible role models/mentors
• Protection against work place harassment
• Digital/Virtual learning options
• Be intent on creating opportunities(to include
virtual roles and projects)
• Career returner programs (sabbatical
policies/educational leave)
• Benefit from women’s network group
• Employee Assistance Programs
• Leaders to agree team rules of engagement and
be trained on unconscious bias
• Diversity & Inclusion Champions
• Institute mentoring programs
• Gender inclusive recruitment
• Insist on balanced slates for
CEO/Executives succession plans
• Proactively balance the mindsets
across the employee lifecycle
• Women & Men to lead by example
KeyConcernsOrganizationSupport
Reqd.(options)
GRADUATES
‘My career
comes first’
0-4+ years
SENIOR EXECS
‘Know so much
must give back’
15+ years
MID CAREER
‘How do I have it
all?’
5-15 years
DIFFERENT PHASES FOR WOMEN
Questions we must ask ourselves
1. How can the business & HR leverage women at different stages and drive female advocacy with our legal system?
2. What can women do to support each other more and how can they re-orient their kids-future leaders-men and women in society?
3. What can our men do better at home and in the workplace to enable gender parity?

8. MANAGING WORK PLACE HARASSMENT
1. Unwelcome words or actions, even jokes
2. Known or unknown-also happens with same gender
3. Intimidating behaviour- isolates or even discriminates
4. Not limited to gender- religion, sexual orientation, entitlement
mentality & age
Where does this happen ?
•Conversations, recruitment, talent reviews, lunch or just giving you a look
•What can be done? Frank feedback, escalate with HR, HR provide a safe place for whistle
blowing, discipline and grievance polices
HOW
OTHER
PEOPLE
MAKE
YOU
FEEL

9. SUSTAINING WORK LIFE BALANCE
IS THERE SUCH A THING AS BALANCE? =NO.. WE COPE !
Professional Women: Be true to your commitments and provide early notice
1. Know why you choose to work and have a game plan for the long term
2. Set your rules of engagement with your partner and manager-CONTRACT!
3. Build an ecosystem of support- in the office and out of work
4. Have fun beyond work by yourself and with others… the world is very BIG!!
Professional Men: Be Better
1. Be aware of your thoughts, be more intentional and have empathy
2. Agree rules of engagement –with your teams and partners
3. Find a gender cause that you can commit to and teach your sons to be better

10. BE BETTER - PRESS FOR PROGRESS
Watch your THOUGHTS for they become
WORDS. Watch your words for they
become ACTIONS. Watch your actions
for they become.. HABITS.. Watch your
habits, for they become your
CHARACTER. And watch your character,
for it becomes your DESTINY! What we
think we become . Iron Lady Movie