Keys to Empower Women in a Workplace
It has been centuries-long since the fight for gender equality surged. Women in the past —few and far between today's generation—tragically disproportionately endure discrimination and oppression. Although the circumstance has significantly progressed regarding women's advancement and its goal is to achieve fairness, there are still injustices evidently happening. These injustices still have opportunities to be rectified. It should start in a place where safety and comfort are needed—the workplace.
The workplace is a great place to start giving women opportunities to feel empowered. Companies should find ways to amplify the female voice and allow them to have control over their work. Any organization has the power to make women feel included and supported. Hence, fighting gender stereotypes and prejudice is an obligation of every employer. In return, when employees feel like they are being supported, they will likely have the best performance and commitment.
Uprooting the Poison Tree is a memoir of a woman scientist Dr. Myra Weiner. Working in a male-dominated environment, she feels the need to tell her journey to help make women feel empowered. She unveils her experiences as she entered the science world in a time where only a few women did. This book is so much more than just a riveting story of a woman; it is about self-discovery and profound healing. Hoping to inspire women to push through working in male-dominated professions, this book is undoubtedly a breath of fresh air.
To give you an overview of how you can help empower women in the workplace, this blog gathered few ways in which you can promote women empowerment:
Improve Gender Diversity
An organization should accept that gender diversity is something that they should work on. There is a crucial need for this aspect to be addressed as this can give some notable effects on the company's operations. You might think that more things need to be focused on, but remember that how your employees feel affects the company's potency. Implement initiatives and set goals to have gender diversity. Making females feeling indispensable should be a top priority. When you establish goals for gender diversity, asking for suggestions on improvements will be a great idea–really listen to what they say.
Give Women Opportunities to Make a Leap
There may be a chance that you overlook providing equal opportunities to everybody at work, and it is okay. You still have a chance to work it out. When you plan fun activities for your employees, you need to make sure that these activities are accessible by any gender. This is a tiny step closer to providing equal opportunities.
Work on Providing Flexible Working
If you must, make sure that you provide everyone a chance to have better training on subjects regarding inclusion and diversity. Include women in mentorships and coaching. In other words, it creates chances for professional development. When this happens, women in your organization will feel more inspired to build their skills. You will notice that they will start to ask for feedback about their work performance. Implement regular coaching conversations. This will help you in identifying potential leaders for succession.
Bridge the Pay Gap
US Institute for Women's Policy Research reveals that the median earnings of women were lesser than of men's, especially in the common occupations for men that also employ women. This proves to say that pay levels are still unequal for both men and women. Bridging these pay gaps can help redress the balance. The same jobs should offer equal pay.
Embrace Individuality
In a workplace, everybody is different. A group may have few same skills, but that does not define their individuality. Why is it important to celebrate and embrace individuality at work? It creates more holding space for employees who have different backgrounds and various voices. If employees won't feel like their authentic selves, they won't feel safe in the work environment. Thus, their unique qualities should be valued and appreciated. Encouraging more inclusivity in the workplace will help in boosting the bottom line.
There is indeed a need for everyone to have a social awareness of women's empowerment. The evidence of gender inequality and bias is everywhere. One factor that affects this is the outdated beliefs of gender roles. Let us all put an end to this and help women bring out the best in their selves.