Why 35% of Your Best Candidates Won't Apply (And How to Change That)

Your company is haemorrhaging talent before candidates even walk through the door. With women's unemployment at 35.8% in South Africa, you might assume the problem is skills shortage. You'd be wrong. The real issue? Your industry is inadvertently screening out half the population.

The Hidden Talent Crisis

Whilst women comprise 51.1% of South Africa's population, they represent only 32% of managers and a mere 10.9% of craft and trade positions. In traditionally male-dominated sectors like mining, engineering, and law enforcement, this gap widens to a chasm that's costing companies their competitive edge. And with the imminent implementation of EE Sector targets, the failure to improve gender equality in all occupational levels, will cost organisations their compliance certificates.

The mathematics are stark: studies show that 50% more women are enrolling for tertiary degrees than men, yet they're not converting into your talent pipeline.

Why?

Because your workplace culture, policies, and infrastructure are sending clear signals about who belongs—and who doesn't.

Lerato Sechaba*, a senior geologist, recalls: "Working underground was initially challenging for me. I was a young, black woman and I was not respected at all—either due to my gender, race, age, or in some cases, all three."

Thabang Legodi, a construction site manager, faced both interpersonal and basic infrastructure failures: " I used to dread having my period because there was no safe and hygienic space to change my sanitary towel."

These aren't isolated incidents. Research across the mining and other male-dominated sectors identified several challenges, including lack of career progress, discrimination in decision-making, and unequal remuneration.

The message to potential female candidates is clear: this isn't a place where you can thrive.

Why change makes business sense

Companies that address these barriers aren't just doing the right thing—they're gaining a competitive advantage. Both men and women are economic assets to a country. Private companies can open up opportunities for increased profit, growth, and innovation by closing gender gaps.

Consider this: women hold only 29% of board seats in South Africa's top 100 listed companies, yet research consistently shows that diverse leadership teams outperform homogeneous ones. You're not just missing talent—you're missing the perspectives that drive innovation and market understanding.

Leading companies are implementing seven foundational measures that smart HR professionals can adapt immediately:

1. Zero Tolerance Policies with Teeth

   Sexual harassment remains a common practice in South African workplaces. Establish clear reporting mechanisms with guaranteed confidentiality and swift action. Make zero tolerance mean zero tolerance.
   

2. Infrastructure that Works for Everyone

   Basic facilities matter. Proper sanitary facilities, appropriate safety equipment sized for different body types, and private spaces for nursing mothers aren't "nice-to-haves"—they're fundamental requirements for inclusion.
   

3. Bias-Interrupted Recruitment

   Review your job descriptions, interview panels, and promotion criteria. When feedback like "if I reprimand a junior, it's called nagging and when a male colleague does it, they are being a leader" persists, your evaluation processes need restructuring. Semantics matter!
   

4. Mentorship and Sponsorship Programmes

   Create formal programmes that connect junior women with senior leaders who can open doors, not just offer advice. And it certainly helps to have men championing women too.  Women shouldn’t have to “be one of the boys” to succeed, champion the differences in leadership styles, creating an environment where diverse leadership and communication styles are appreciated.
   

5. Flexible Work Arrangements

   Women are still primary care givers at home and in many instances mine work is shift-based so the balancing act is even more challenging for women. Smart companies are redesigning shift patterns and offering flexible arrangements that work for all employees.
   

6. Clear Career Progression Pathways

   Research shows women want "deliberate steps to facilitate and impart skills to women that they need to progress up the employment level hierarchy". Make advancement criteria transparent and provide the training needed to meet them.
   

7. Leadership Accountability

   The Private Sector Coalition, formed in August 2024 as a collaboration between the GBV response Fund, the Presidency, JSE, ILO, and UN, emphasises "enforcement to ensure leadership accountability to accelerate action". The consequences of failure to implement Employment Equity targets, including gender parity, reaffirm commitments of Government to this agenda. Tie diversity metrics to executive compensation and performance reviews.

Quick Wins: Start Tomorrow

• Audit your job descriptions for gendered language and requirements that aren't actually necessary.

• Review your facilities—are they truly accessible and comfortable for all genders?

• Analyse your promotion and compensation data by gender. Where are the gaps?

• Implement bias training for hiring managers and establish mentorship programmes.

Launch employee resource groups and create clear pathways for career advancement.

Whilst your competitors continue losing talent to outdated practices, you'll be building the diverse teams that understand broader markets, solve problems more creatively, and retain top performers longer.

Why 35% of your best candidates won't apply (and how to change that)

With women's unemployment at 35.5% compared to men's 30.7%, the talent is there. The question isn't whether qualified women exist—it's whether your company is the kind of place they want to work.

Every day you delay these changes, your competitors who implement them gain access to talent pools you're inadvertently blocking. In today's skills-short market, can you really afford to screen out 35% of your best potential candidates before they even apply?

The choice is yours: continue competing for half the talent pool, or transform your workplace to attract the best candidates, regardless of gender. The companies that get this right won't just fill positions—they'll dominate their industries.

Start today. Your future talent pipeline depends on it.

As a 53% women-owned QSE, this Women’s Month, we're proud to announce that most of our articles feature the brilliant women of GBS- trusted experts and inspiring thought leaders in the workplace and beyond. Reach out to the right consultant for your needs via their profiles here.

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