Fostering gender equity and inclusivity in the workplace with Zahra Dewidar

With an impressive career spanning multiple major companies, Zahra Dewidar has been an instrumental advocate for equality and women’s empowerment throughout her years in HR, promoting diversity, encouraging inclusive workplace environments, and helping advance women's careers.

Dewidar’s achievements and her unwavering commitment to empowering women serve as an inspiration within and outside of talabat. A firm believer in adaptability as a crucial skill for leaders to possess in today's ever-changing business landscape, she stresses the importance of being able to navigate complex situations and adjust to new challenges quickly. 

Last year, you told us that you were proud of talabat’s female representation, what steps can businesses take to promote gender equity and diversity in a similar fashion?

Zahra Dewidar - Director of People Operations, talabat

The first step is to create an environment that is free from discrimination; an environment to enable female employees to speak their minds. 

Businesses should also provide the right channels of communication, in addition to offering equal opportunities and support in times when family comes first, not penalizing or treating it as a weakness. The key here is to promote an inclusive environment throughout the organization. 

What are some patterns you’ve noticed over the years about women at work, and what do you believe they could be doing better to advance their careers?

I’ve noticed that working women are often labeled as easily distracted due to family matters. Earlier during my career, women were looked down upon during the hiring process despite their qualifications - with their potential family responsibilities often standing in the way. 

Another stereotype was that successful working women were labeled as boyish or manly. Thankfully, this is no longer the case, at least it is not a mainstream stereotype. Women have proudly become more independent and experienced, and have managed to shatter glass ceilings in multiple industries.

What do you think helped you the most in your successful career as a woman?

Being resilient and having the ability to adapt. Adaptability proved to be the most powerful leadership and business skill, and I’ve grown to adapt and navigate complex situations. 

From your experience at the company, what are some good practices that can be reproduced in future programs to further boost female representation in leadership roles?

I am very proud to be part of an organization that encourages and appreciates women's representation globally and in Egypt as well. 

In my organization, we are 40% of its leadership, and within the People & Culture function, we are 100% of management. It is influential to have women at the very front of the organization, and in our executive committee where they have a significant impact and play integral roles. The organization is very keen to build and maintain a diverse and inclusive culture. 

What do you think the future holds for women in business, and how would you explain the importance of empowering women and women-owned/led companies?

In my opinion, women in business are on an upward trajectory as we are seeing today several women-led and owned companies and businesses. I believe it is important to empower women in business to benefit from the set of skills that women bring to the table; such as adaptability, empathy, and effective communication among many others. 

Many studies have shown that companies with more women in leadership positions tend to be more successful and have better financial performance. Lately, we see this strongly in Egypt too by many female leaders at the top of successful businesses. 

How do you ensure that your company's hiring practices are inclusive and promote gender equity, and what advice would you give to other professionals looking to do the same?

At talabat, we pride ourselves on promoting and supporting gender parity within the workplace. 

When hiring, I believe it is important to maintain an objective standpoint when it comes to aspects that might lead to prejudice (i.e. gender). It is also important to maintain hiring practices based on merit and not other social factors. 

In your opinion, what are the most important qualities that leaders should possess, and how do you incorporate these qualities into your own leadership style?

Every woman has a unique leadership style that can be brought to the table. In general, I would say we are more adaptable; we are able to better equipped to adapt and navigate challenging situations. 

Another quality that I believe is important is empathy and effective communication. Women are often skilled at building relationships, collaborating, and working in teams, which are essential skills in many fields like mine in Human Resources Management.