#BreakTheBias

Mar 15

Celebrating International Women’s Month

We’re excited to dedicate celebration and support toward women in the workplace as we recognize International Women’s Month. We want to bring recognition to this important topic as it applies to workplace inclusion! Women bring such a vital element to the workplace, and as we understand some of the barriers to effectively maintaining this diversity within organizations, we can collectively work to break down the barriers and #BreakTheBias of the stereotypes of women in leadership and various workplace roles. We can celebrate the strength experienced as a whole when the demographics are even and when women are given equal opportunity.

The effect of women in the workplace

One of the reasons this International Women’s Month is so important is its implications in supporting women in the workforce. Companies may not realize the strength the female workforce statically brings. Women are attributed with significant assets both financially and mentally/emotionally to organizations. According to The Women in the Workplace 2021 report from Lean In and McKinsey & Co., we find a company is 50% more likely to outperform its peers when women are well-represented in leadership roles at the top of the org chart. Additionally, women are statistically more prone to take on supportive roles and allied partnerships with minority groups in the workplace, creating safer workplaces across the board when it comes to inclusion and diversity.

It becomes alarming, then, when we see new stats and trends of one-fourth of the population of working women potentially leaving the workforce. Not only does this set us back on the progress we’ve made in gender equality in the workplace, but it will be detrimental to organizations in general.

Why are women leaving the workforce?

Studies have shown three main camps of women who are largely leaving their roles in leadership:

Working mothers
Due to the strains and unforeseen complications of COVID-19, working moms have taken a hard hit when it comes to typical workloads. With many confined to their homes with children who need extra attention with schooling, the workloads have doubled, and in some cases tripled. Now, moms are often working full-time jobs while caring for children and running a household, in addition to taking on educational roles for school-aged children. It simply isn’t working, and we’re seeing the results–many are stepping away from work. Stats during COVID-19 have shown:
- 17% of working moms are reducing work hours.
- 16% are switching to a less-demanding job.
- 15% are taking a leave of absence.
- 8% are moving from a full-time to a part-time role.
- 7% are leaving the workforce entirely.
Senior-level women
The burnout of heightened work stress is the cause of many senior-level women who are facing decisions of backing out of their leadership roles. Many feel they are held to higher standards than their male peers, and the need to overcompensate to prove credibility is an additional factor.

Simply put, senior-level women are burning out. And it’s happening at a higher rate than senior-level men.
Women of color

Black women in the workplace have expressed a wide range of challenges when it comes to their roles in a typical workplace. Oftentimes, they are “Onlys” in their teams, meaning they are the single representation of the black community. This can cause additional challenges of needing to outperform at a greater margin to prove competence.

Additionally, microaggressions cause women of color to face unique challenges. It’s two times more common for a black woman to be faced with coworkers who are surprised at competent skills and abilities in language. This, topped with recent tragedies in the black community, has caused an isolated feeling. One woman of color gives her perspective by saying,

There was a real silence after George Floyd happened. And I felt like that silence ripped open a wound that I didn’t realize had been so deep. What was disappointing, and what I heard from multiple Black colleagues was, ‘I have all these people who I work with every single day who I think care about me. But that week we were mourning as a community, and no one reached out. No one said a word.’ I kept thinking that one day somebody was going to say something, but no one did. It’s like, if you’re on a tight-knit team and somebody has a family member pass away, you reach out. You send them a note. You do something, some gesture, because they’re your co-worker, and they’re also a human being. But no one I work with did that after George Floyd.

So, here we are. When we gather the information, it can become discouraging. We certainly have a long way to go in terms of equality, gender inclusion, and breaking the bias. The progress has been slow, and it appears to be at risk of backtracking. This calls for more awareness and celebration during months like International Women’s Month. Not only can we choose to take steps toward the solution, but we can actively celebrate those who are carrying the burden of the fight.

How to move toward the solution

One step toward the solution is to increase the number of organizations that are what the International Women’s Day website calls “Prime employers for women.” They give this list of attributes when considering if you fit the description.

Employers are considered prime employers for women if they:

Demonstrate executive leadership commitment to gender equality
Embrace a culture of diversity, equity, and inclusion
Forge a female hiring pipeline from early career to executive level
Value and support flexible working arrangements
Provide formal avenues to address any concerns of bias
Ensure women's inclusion from supply chain through to decision making
Ensure marketing and communications are consistently free of stereotyping
Provide external support for women's advancement
Monitor progress and outcomes from diversity initiatives
Participate in external validation of progressive employer practice

How do you compare with those listed qualities above? Take steps today to #BreakTheBias, and become part of the solution on this recognition of International Women’s Month.