International Women’s Day 2023

As we marked another International Women’s Day on 8th March, it’s a perfect time to reflect on the ways in which employers can champion women in the workplace to promote gender equality.

Despite the great progress in recent years - women still face challenges in the workplace, including the gender pay gap, limited opportunities for career advancement, and discrimination. 

Supporting women at work is not only what should be happening, but it is also good for business. Research continues to show that gender diversity is all round better for business. By failing to support women, organisations also risk losing the trust and loyalty of their stakeholders and may find it difficult to attract and retain the best talent.

So, how can employers best support women in the workplace? We have put together our top suggestions to improve the workplace with women in mind.

Flexibility
Showing flexibility to staff is a must to get the best and most from them. It has become very apparent in the last couple of years that this is what people want but this need, in the past, has put women on the back foot. We all know that working women (and men!) are often balancing far more than just the commute and their working day. Often caring for children and or other relatives or managing the home whilst wanting to be the best they can be at work. These demands need to be acknowledged and as long as their work isn’t compromised, employers should support as much as possible, with where and when the job can be done. 

Championing Workplace wellness
Women often put their health at the bottom of the list when spinning so many plates, so why not protect your female staff by encouraging them to take up regular checkups for cervical and breast cancer screening and providing access to professionals that can support those more challenging times in a woman’s life such as pregnancy and menopause.

Improving diversity at all levels
For generations women have been sidelined for promotion or hired to do specific roles and ignored for others. All industries should be doing what they can to attract women as well as men. Some industries such as construction and manufacturing have made amazing strides with this. Let’s not stop there, as mentioned above, diversity is great for business! They should also be given the same opportunities to grow and learn. 

Equal Pay
Employees should receive fair compensation for their work regardless of gender. Not only a matter of basic fairness and equality, but any gender deserves to be paid the same as men for doing the same work, and any pay disparities based on gender are a violation of this fundamental principle. Companies that prioritise equal pay are likely to have better employee retention and engagement, which can lead to increased productivity and profitability.

We hope you had a lovely International Women's Day, celebrating the many achievements of women in the workplace and acknowledging the awesome contributions they make. Together we can all create a more equal and prosperous future!