Smith, Talicia Lucia2024-08-282024-08-282023Smith, Talicia Lucia. (2023). Digitalisation and gender inclusion in financial services in South Africa [Master’s dissertation, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg]. WireDSpace.https://hdl.handle.net/10539/40352https://hdl.handle.net/10539/40352A research report submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Management in the field of Digital Business to the Faculty of Commerce, Law and Management, Wits Business School, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2023Digital transformation and increased digitalisation have been identified as significant opportunities for women’s participation and gender inclusion in the workforce to support substantial economic growth. This study explores the perceived role of gender inclusion during the rapid digitalisation of the world of work during the pandemic. This study further seeks to understand the experience of women leaders in the formal sector from 2019 to 2021 in South Africa (SA). An interpretive phenomenological approach was adopted for this study, using semi-structured interviews. The snowballing sampling method was used to reach women leaders across the financial services industry. The data was analysed using thematic analysis and a hybrid analytical approach to developing the code book and subsequent themes. The research findings indicated a delicate and complex relationship between digitalisation and gender inclusion influenced by the internal gender inclusion strategy, the digital workplace design, digitalenablers, social implications, culture and well-being of women leaders as they worked virtually. While women leaders experienced the rapid surge of digitalisation during the virtual working phenomenon as positive, there were pros and cons identified for women leaders working almost, ultimately impacting their ability to stay with organisations. While organisations offer world-class digital transformation strategies, invest in the best technologies, or leverage increased digitalisation to change how people work. The key takeaway is that with the complexities of human behaviour and the entrenched gender stereotypes in financial services, digitalisation may not be enough to keep women as active and contributing members of the future workforceen© 2023 University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg. All rights reserved. The copyright in this work vests in the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, without the prior written permission of University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg.Gender inclusionDigitalisationFinancial servicesUCTDSDG-5: Gender equalityDissertationUniversity of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg