Risk doesn't always look unlawful.
In fact, most of the time it’s hiding behind a perfect policy.
Here's what all companies do (because it's the usual process);
🔹 You approved maternity leave without hesitation
🔹 You offered a Keeping in Touch plan
🔹 You ensured full return-to-work rights
🔹 You didn’t demote, detract, or delay
So what’s the problem, I hear your thoughts scream?
Here it is-
You didn’t have the same performance conversation with her as you did with him.
Of maybe, you DID have the same conversation with her as you did him but....
you should have recognised the gender barriers and treated the conversations differently instead.
Or maybe this sounds familiar:
⟶ He took two weeks’ paternity leave.
⟶ You booked in a review.
⟶ You welcomed him back.
⟶ You discussed his development.
⟶ She took 9 months.
⟶ You welcomed her back.
⟶ You let her settle in.
⟶You didn’t want to “overwhelm her.”
⟶ You postponed feedback, reviews, and targets.
You called it kindness.
She saw it as silence.
Seems innocent, compliant even, right?
That’s how gender bias starts.
Not through action, but through absence.
And over time you’ll notice;
↳ He’s had more 1:1s
↳ She's been offered occupational health and he hasn't
↳ He’s being considered for promotion while she only got training
And i hear you.
None of it was on purpose.
That’s why we don’t just look at maternity compliance.
We look at gender equity risk.
And the only way to spot it?
You have to compare.
🛑 Are your post-leave conversations equitable across men and women?
🛑 Are you reviewing engagement, feedback, and decision-making fairly?
🛑 Do you know how your leadership feels about returners, and whether it’s bias in disguise?
📊 Our free HR Risk & Gender Equity Scorecard helps you uncover the gaps even your best policies won’t show.
https://lnkd.in/eSsM-XeH
You’ll walk away with a personalised report and a clearer lens on what you can’t afford to overlook.
Or secure your seat in our upcoming free workshop on 14th Aug where we look at hidden gender bias in greater detail
https://lnkd.in/eSghkFbi
👋🏽 𝗛𝗶, 𝗜’𝗺 𝗧𝗶𝗻𝗮, 𝗳𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿 𝗼𝗳 𝗛𝗥 𝗛𝗮𝗯𝗶𝘁𝗮𝘁.
𝗪𝗲’𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗼𝗳 𝗛𝗥 𝗵𝗼𝘁𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀, 𝘁𝗼𝗼.
𝗪𝗲 𝗳𝗶𝘅 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗛𝗥 𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗲𝗳𝗶𝗲𝗹𝗱𝘀 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗱𝗶𝗱𝗻’𝘁 𝗸𝗻𝗼𝘄 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘄𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗼𝗻.
𝗠𝘆 𝗺𝗶𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗶𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗱 𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿 𝗲𝗾𝘂𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗼 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆𝗱𝗮𝘆 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽 - 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗺𝗲𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘄𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗻 𝗮𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲.
Founder of HR Habitat, award winner of "Best HR & Employment Law Consultancy, 2024" title. As featured in BBC Oline, BBC Asian Network Radio, Telegraph & more.
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