“They loved your messages. This was evident by the TWO standing ovations you received.”
Educational Service Unit No. 11
The rise of the #MeToo movement and the Time’s Up campaign has made tremendous waves for the women’s movement in the last decade. It has changed the discussion about their place in the workforce by shedding light on the issues and obstacles they face every day.
For those who believe the glass ceiling to be a myth, a workplace survey shows that while more women are rising to the top levels of companies, they’re still underrepresented.
But women persist. They’re steadily but surely gaining traction at the workplace, calling out the disrespectful prejudice and other obstacles that have been put in their path by their seemingly “progressive” male counterparts.
Organizations and leaders must step in to eliminate bias and empower women in the workplace. Here’s how organizational leaders can get started.
There are myriad ways to support women at your organization, but the first step is prioritizing gender diversity and inclusivity. This critical issue can be addressed by enacting a sense of urgency to tackle the existing bias against women and their performance in the workplace.
Establish business goals for improving gender diversity by delving deeper into areas where women face the most hurdles when they’re trying to move up the ranks. Outline initiatives and ensure that your goals are implemented across the board.
Statistics show that women in the United States earn about 80% of what men earn. If you genuinely intend to empower your female employees, conducting a pay equity audit is the first step to take. Look for inconsistencies between the pay rates of male and female employees in your organization based on experience and qualifications.
Instead of just communicating criticism, focus on positive recognition. Praise your female employees and team members when it’s well-deserved. Ensure that you celebrate their strengths and accomplishments.
If you hear a great idea from a female colleague, call it out to recognize their contribution. Give credit where it’s due, regardless of the gender of the employee.
Bring issues faced by women to the forefront—these include implicit bias, inclusion, diversity and flexible work policies. Implement better training for your employees on these topics so your company can keep evolving through education and training.
Create mentorship and sponsorship opportunities for women employees who are struggling to fit in with the organization. This will ensure career advancement and professional development.
Flexibility in work hours allows your employees to find a balance between their work and home lives.
Since women play multiple roles—from being mothers and caregivers to breadwinners— flexible working options can offer them the much-needed balance to navigate through these multiple roles successfully.
Image title: Women in the workplace
Alt-text: Women thriving in the workplace due to a flexible work environment
If you need more help with educating your employees about the importance of women empowerment in the workplace, get in touch with Steve Gilliland!
The Hall of Fame motivational keynote speaker uses personal and state-of-the-art virtual experiences to help organizations maintain a productive, diverse and inclusive workforce.
The comedy motivational speaker uses humor to create a customized virtual keynote experience to unite people when getting together physically isn’t an option. You can check out his virtual presentations and benefit from his numerous bestselling books today.
