Women in the workplace still face barriers, despite 56% of women taking part in the US job market. Globally, 59% of women in the workplace face non-inclusive behavior. This can come in the form of being rejected for flexible work opportunities, intentionally sexist interactions, or more subtle discrimination.
Roughly two-thirds of women in the workplace are looking for new opportunities. This presents a challenge to employers. They must find ways to retain female employees so they can continue to benefit from their knowledge and diverse viewpoints.
So, without further ado, let’s explore some ways to empower women in the workplace:
Pay equity
Do the women in your organization get paid the same amount for the same job as their male colleagues? Is it time for a pay bump?
UK retailer Next risks closing stores—and potentially going bankrupt—because the UK courts have ruled that it didn’t pay women in the workplace as much as male workers.
It now has to pay back almost $40 million to 3,540 past and present female workers.
Its reasoning for paying less to female workers, who predominantly work on the shop floor, is that warehouse workers had to work undesirable hours and lift heavy items. Yet retail workers are on their feet all day, dealing with all kinds of customers. And also sometimes have to lift heavy items.
The Tribunal did say that Next’s behavior wasn’t a case of “direct discrimination.” Instead, it was about cost-cutting. However, it still didn’t think this was a justifiable excuse.
Times have changed. Excuses like Next’s just don’t cut it anymore. Putting profit above all else isn’t good enough. Businesses that do that will lose employees and customers.
Make sure your employees are paid equally for similar jobs so you don’t end up like Next.
Mentoring
Mentoring can be an effective way to connect women in the workplace. It can give them a leg up, particularly in more male-dominated industries. It can also equip them with more support to help them navigate challenges.
Moral support from someone who’s been there before is beneficial for people of any age. It can help with employee engagement and retention, even increasing the number of people who finish training programs.
However, 71% of executives choose to mentor people who are of the same race or gender. Which presents a problem when men hold 72% of C-suite positions. So it’s crucial that you build a leadership team that reflects the type of workplace you want to develop. Diverse workplaces take work to build and maintain—they don’t happen by accident.
(And let’s not forget that gender quotas do not mean the people you hire are less competent. Quotas merely weed out the incompetent.)
Employee resource groups
ERGs are a really good way to connect people with colleagues who share similar backgrounds and experiences. So, creating groups for women in the workplace can make a big difference for your female employees.
ERGs can be a place for them to share concerns, learn about how your benefits work for women and families, and just talk about life in a safe environment.
Plus, with access to the right tools, like Workrowd’s employee group management suite, you can ensure your ERGs drive real value for women in the workplace.
Flexible working
So many women can’t return to work because they can’t find a role that fits around childcare. This is despite 8% more women than men having bachelor’s degrees by the age of 29.
Childcare is expensive, especially in some countries. And sometimes, even if a mother wants to return to work, it isn’t financially viable. Childcare would cost more than they earn in a month. But having a flexible working arrangement could make it all doable.
There’s no downside to offering flexible working. Whether that’s altering someone’s hours, offering a job share, or allowing employees to work remotely.
Surely what matters at the end of the day is how well they perform in their role, rather than where they perform their role from?
Open communication
How do you know if you’re providing women in the workplace with what they need if you don’t ask them?
Needs change over time, which means if you’re not in regular contact with employees, it’s possible that something might’ve changed but they don’t feel comfortable raising it. If they don’t feel comfortable raising it, they’re more likely to leave if another opportunity comes along.
So make sure that managers regularly check in with their employees, send feedback surveys, organize events where they can meet colleagues, pay attention to what people say in ERGs, and maybe even organize focus groups to ensure you’re getting the full picture.
The more avenues you have for open communication, the more likely you are to find the information you need to empower women in the workplace.
Leaders also need to model this behavior. If they don’t encourage open communication, and create a psychologically safe workplace, no one will feel comfortable discussing their issues for fear of reprisals.
Conclusion
Empowering women in the workplace is simple: pay them what they’re worth, help them connect, and keep communication open.
The more you do those things, the more it creates a positive cycle for women in the workplace and your business.
Women get the support they need, financially and socially. Meanwhile your business gets the extra skills that come from having a more diverse workforce.
Support women in the workplace
Support the women in your workplace with Workrowd. You can manage and measure ERGs; collect employee feedback; and create a more engaged, empowered workforce. Get in touch today by visiting us online or emailing us directly at hello@workrowd.com to book your free demo.
