6.2 Devise a targeted strategy to retain top female talent including high-performing women, women in key technical functions, and women demonstrating leadership potential
Content
Description of Best Practices
High-performing women and men with diverse social identities, including those in key functions, technical roles, and have potential for leadership roles (e.g., women, who have recently started) may resign soon after being hired, at a mid-career point, or after parental leave due to negative organizational culture or limiting factors, resulting in loss of talent
Apply findings from the employee satisfaction survey (see above) to identify high-impact retention solutions that respond to female employees’ interests and needs
A sound retention strategy will address three dimensions: culture, connection, contribution
Conduct interviews with top female performers to deepen understanding of what they value in the employment relationship
Conduct exit interviews with departing female talent to understand the factors that led them to resign
Raise the visibility of female high performers by featuring them as role models and mentors
Organize informal networking opportunities during times that do not conflict with childcare responsibilities
Challenges of Implementation
Male employees may perceive preferential treatment toward women
What Success Looks Like
The employer successfully identifies and retains top female talent with diverse social identities
The company is viewed by prospective female employees as a woman-friendly employer
When scheduling retention or engagement-focused activities (e.g., networking events, etc.), the organizers consider women’s schedule preferences and/or childcare needs
Resources and Tools
Guide (incl. Additional Resources and Case Studies): Resources for Retaining and Advancing Mid-Career Technical Women (NCWIT)
Report/Study: Recruiting and Retaining Women in Non-Traditional Positions (Center for Energy Workforce Development, CEWD)
Report/Study: Off-Ramps and On-Ramps: Keeping Talented Women on the Road to Success (Harvard Business Review)
Article: 6 Powerful Ways to Keep Your Top Female Employees (Inc.)
Article: How to Reduce Employee Turnover Through Robust Retention Strategies (Society for Human Resource Management)
Article: Top 10 Ways Managers Can Retain Technical Women (NCWIT)
Article: How We Closed the Gap Between Men's and Women's Retention Rates (Harvard Business Review)