We want to talk about something super important: making sure women are thriving in the workplace. It’s not just the right thing to do, but it’s also a smart business move! There’s been a lot of progress over the years, but there’s always something that can be done to promote this further 💪
We want to see more women in those top leadership roles and breakdown any gender pay gaps 👩💼So we’ve provided these helpful tips to encourage a work environment that allows women to shine ⭐
💰Equal Pay and Advancement Opportunities💰
One of the fundamental aspects of supporting women in the workplace is ensuring women are paid what they deserve 💸💁️ Equal pay for equal work is, after all, a legal requirement of employers (covered by the Equality Act 2010).
Businesses should be regularly reviewing themselves to identify and address any gender-based pay disparities. And don’t forget that career advancement and leadership roles should be based on merit, not on whether you wear a skirt or slacks 🙌💼
⚖️Promoting Work-Life Balance⚖️
Women still shoulder the responsibility of unpaid labour. In England, women carry out an average of 60% more unpaid work than men (source: Office for National Statistics) 🥵This means that offering support to enable women to manage a better work-life-balance is crucial for higher job satisfaction and improved production. So… how do we do this?
🤸️Flexible work arrangements such as remote working, flexible hours and job sharing.
🤱Parental leave and childcare assistance.
💪Wellness programs for physical, mental and emotional well-being.
🕑Encourage time off and set clear boundaries so work doesn’t encroach on personal time.
🏋️️Training and Mentorship🏋️️
Stay up to date and raise awareness of how gender biases can influence decision-making, and then offer training to employees and managers to mitigate this impact. Support professional development as well by exposing women to role models through mentorship, sponsorship and networking❤️
The author of this article (Izzy John, hi! 👋) attends Business Women In networking events to meet other women in business roles, share ideas and support each other. Click here if you’d like to see more on this.
🤗Safe and Inclusive Work Environments🤗
All employees have a right to feel respected, valued and heard. This can be especially tough on women though as research has shown that women get interrupted 50% of the time in meetings, and 38% of women experience others taking credit for their ideas (source: Women in the Workplace) 😤So you can see that promoting open communication and bringing more women into the discussion is important to ensure women’s voices are heard.
Make sure that women also have a safe space place to work by implementing zero-tolerance policies for harassment and discrimination 🙅️These policies serve as a shield to protect employees in the workplace 🛡️
It’s clear that supporting women in the workplace isn’t just about doing what’s right, it’s also about making smart business decisions. By taking these measures onboard, we’re not only empowering women, but also unlocking the full potential of our workforce. Let’s continue to champion these efforts, recognizing that when women thrive, businesses thrive too! 💼🌟
