The Oregon Caregiver FALL/WINTER 2023 www.ohca.com 12 Elevating a Woman’s Role in Long Term Care By Nicolette Reilly, Oregon Health Care Association Successful organizations are focused on recruiting and building strong leaders to create a culture that is aligned with the company’s mission and values. As organizations look to build their leadership teams, the most progressive organizations have gained ground by recognizing the benefits of increasing the representation of women and diversity in senior level positions. Research shows that there are a variety of reasons for this, but one is simply that female leaders tend to be (though of course, not always) better communicators. For a business to thrive, an environment of open, accountable communication and execution is vital. Women, due to their life experiences, typically have more emotional self-awareness, empathy, conflict management, flexibility, and teamwork—all essential skills to being a good leader. Women are more likely to connect with their employees on a personal level and can create a unified, caring team. In a culture where the workforce wants to be heard and understood, women tend to have a stronger ability to listen, empathize, and resolve conflict while talking through the issues and taking a team approach to resolutions. With considering diversity in the workplace, women historically are more collaborative and inclusive in their leadership styles. This is beneficial for the team because it encourages a diverse group of people to work together and share their ideas. Women’s presence on management teams is generally associated with a more participatory leadership style. According to the American Psychological Association, generally, leadership groups with more women exhibited greater equality in conversational turn-taking, further enabling the group members to be responsive to one another and to make the best use of the knowledge and skills of members. For an organization to succeed, diverse perspectives should be brought into every level. Pew Research Center states that women who hold power in leadership positions are also more likely to be aware of gender equality issues and, therefore, will be more willing to offer opportunities for women, as well as for those who have various intersecting identities, such as Black women, women with disabilities, and LGBTQIA2S+ women, who collaborate with them. In recent years, researchers have found that organizations with a higher percentage of women at the top tend to be better at attracting and retaining female talent. “People, especially younger people, are more likely to be attracted by organizations that have a higher percentage of females at the top,” said a study published in the Journal of Business Ethics. “This is because people have positive associations with female leaders.” The study also found that these organizations perceive higher levels of organizational culture commitment and work satisfaction among their employees. Another reason for higher work satisfaction is that women typically focus more on providing mentorship, support, and encouragement to those who are just starting out in their careers. The Journal of Business Ethics states that women who work for organizations with a higher percentage of women at the top are also more likely to be satisfied with their jobs and feel less stressed about balancing work and family life. Ria Jordan, Human Capital Strategist, states that an analysis of women’s impact in organizations shows that their influence leads to greater motivation and better results. This commitment also demonstrates a positive impact on the company culture and increased employee satisfaction. For long term care leaders interested in building and retaining staff at all levels, the research shows that it is critical to hire and support women in leadership positions. Nicolette Reilly is the SVP of Quality at OHCA. Sources: • Colwill, J. and Townsend, J. (1999), “Women, leadership and information technology : The impact of women leaders in organizations and their role in integrating information technology with corporate strategy”, Journal of Management Development, Vol. 18 No. 3, pp. 207-216 • Jordan, R (2022), “The Impact of Female Leadership”, Human Capital Strategist • Novotney, A (2023), “Psychological research shows Women Leaders improve businesses”, American Psychological Association • “Women and Leadership,” Pew Research, https://www. pewresearch.org/social-trends/2015/01/14/women-andleadership/ QUALITY
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