Women at the Core- Strengthening ER Through Gender -Inclusive Leadership in Sri Lankan Apparel Sector

Women at the Core — Strengthening ER Through Gender-Inclusive Leadership in Sri Lanka’s Apparel Sector

MN7234ES — People and Organization: Principles and Practice in Global Contexts — MBA of London Metropolitan University

1. The Apparel Sector and the Equity Imperative

Sri Lanka’s apparel sector is powered by women. In many factories, over 80–85% of workers are women, forming the backbone of production, quality, and global competitiveness (Better Work, 2023). Despite this contribution, women remain under-represented in supervisory and managerial positions, facing limited advancement opportunities, gendered barriers, and inequities in recognition and reward systems.

This misalignment between contribution and reward reflects Adams’ Equity Theory (1963): when employees perceive Inputs (effort, skill, loyalty) are not matched by fair Outcomes (pay, advancement, recognition), motivation, trust, and engagement decline.

To correct this imbalance, leading apparel companies such as Courtaulds, Brandix, MAS, Hirdaramani, and programmes like the IFC/ILO GEAR initiative have invested heavily in structured women’s empowerment and leadership programmes. These initiatives do more than deliver training; they restore fairness, validate contributions, unlock promotion pathways, and reshape workplace culture.

2. Theoretical Foundation — Why Equity Theory Explains the Transformation

Adams’ Equity Theory provides a powerful lens to understand why women’s empowerment programmes have strong organisational and behavioural outcomes in the apparel sector.

2.1 The Equity Problem — High Inputs, Low Outcomes

Women contribute high inputs:

• Consistent performance
• Long service
• Loyalty
• High skill levels

Yet outcomes such as promotions, pay, recognition, and leadership opportunities have historically lagged behind those received by men. This perceived under-reward triggers reduced motivation, lower job satisfaction, higher turnover, and weakened organisational trust.

2.2 How Empowerment Programmes Restore Equity

Empowerment programmes help correct inequity by increasing formal outcomes:

• Higher promotion rates
• Better pay bands
• Structured leadership pathways
• Increased access to training and visibility

Example: GEAR-trained women achieved up to 77% promotion rates (ILO, 2021). Visible investments — GBV awareness, financial literacy, health support — signal fairness and strengthen the psychological contract.

3. Why Women Leaders Strengthen ER in a Female-Dominant Workforce

In workplaces where 80–85% of employees are women, leadership representation matters. Female supervisors often:

• Communicate with greater empathy (Better Work, 2023)
• Understand operational pressures differently
• Reduce fear-based interactions
• Strengthen psychological safety
• Encourage open dialogue and constructive conflict resolution

When leadership reflects the workforce gender composition, trust rises, issues surface earlier, and ER improves significantly.

4. Company-Level Empowerment Programmes

4.1 Courtaulds “Dinali” Programme

The Dinali Programme focuses on communication, confidence, health awareness, and financial stability — all essential for leadership readiness.

Outcomes (Courtaulds, 2021):

• 2,500+ women trained
• 21% increase in retention among participants
• Higher participation in suggestion schemes
• More women entering leadership pipelines

Programme components: soft-skills development, leadership exposure, communication training, GBV awareness, health & nutrition, financial literacy.

Impact on ER: improved psychological safety, reinforced fairness, and stronger trust between workers and supervisors.

4.2 Courtaulds & IFC–ILO GEAR Integration

Courtaulds integrated the GEAR model — a supervisory development pathway focused on gender equality.

Impact (Courtaulds, 2022):

• Increased promotions to supervisory positions
• Clear, merit-based promotional criteria
• Better team cohesion under trained female leaders
• Improved trust in ER systems and dispute-resolution

4.3 Brandix “Inspired Women” Initiative

Brandix’s initiative develops women across multiple plants to build leadership readiness.

Achievements (Brandix, 2021):

• 3,000+ women trained
• Significant increases in female promotion rates
• Stronger readiness for team-lead roles
• Improved engagement scores among women

4.4 MAS “Women Go Beyond”

MAS operates a comprehensive and long-standing women’s development framework focused on career progression, health and well-being, financial independence, and community upliftment.

Outcome: women in leadership roles increased to 26% within one programme cycle — positioning women as leaders, mentors, and change agents.

4.5 Hirdaramani Women’s Development & Leadership Framework

Hirdaramani uses an integrated approach: leadership training, vocational and soft-skills programmes, health & wellness, and community empowerment.

Outcomes (Hirdaramani, 2022):

• Higher female representation in mid-level management
• Increased confidence and communication
• More inclusive and stable ER climate

4.6 IFC–ILO “GEAR” Programme (Industry-Wide Impact)

GEAR is one of the most successful supervisory training models for women in Sri Lanka.

Key results (ILO, 2021):

• Up to 77% promotion rate among trainees
• Higher productivity in teams led by GEAR graduates
• Reduced absenteeism and turnover
• Documented improvements in fairness, voice, and ER climate

5. Rebuilding Motivation and ER Through Equity

Women’s empowerment programmes realign Inputs and Outcomes, increasing perceived fairness, commitment, trust in supervisors, effort, and collaboration.

Impact on Employee Relations:

• More open communication
• Earlier surfacing of issues
• Reduced conflict and grievances
• Stronger worker–supervisor relationships
• Fairness becomes part of organisational culture

6. Equity as a Strategic Pathway to Stronger Workplaces

In a sector where women make up over 80% of the workforce, empowerment is a necessity. Structured empowerment and leadership programmes correct inequities by increasing promotions, recognition, confidence, and leadership opportunities. When women rise into leadership, communication improves, trust deepens, psychological safety grows, and ER becomes more collaborative. Companies investing in women are investing in fairness, stability, motivation, and sustainable competitiveness.

References

Adams, J. (1965). Inequity in social exchange. Advances in Experimental Social Psychology, 2, 267–299.
Better Work (2019). Worker engagement and productivity report. ILO & IFC.
Better Work (2021). Gender equality and workplace performance in apparel factories. ILO & IFC.
HRMARS (2018). ‘Workforce participation and gender patterns in Sri Lankan apparel sector’, International Journal of Academic Research in Business & Social Sciences, 8(5), pp. 222–235.
IFC (2020). GEAR programme evaluation: Promoting women’s leadership in global supply chains. International Finance Corporation.
ILO (2020). Women in leadership: Global garment industry insights. International Labour Organization.
Pressacademia (2023). ‘Employment and economic contribution of apparel sector in Sri Lanka’.
World Bank (2022). Gender gaps in South Asian labour markets. World Bank Group.