We’ve come a long way, baby! People all over the world today are celebrating International Women’s Day, a day set aside to spotlight women’s achievements and continue promoting efforts to build a world where men and women are true equals. And since we’re a team that’s 14 women strong, with incredible clients and a ton of experience behind us, of course we’re all in!
While we love celebrating women in the workplace, it's important to remember that equality is not just a women’s issue—it’s a business issue. Research shows that diverse and inclusive organizations typically experience higher rates of employee engagement and innovation, as well as more robust financial returns and market share. But business mumbo jumbo aside, this really does make a lot of sense: When you gather a group of individuals with a wide range of backgrounds and personal/professional experiences around a table and ask them to share their stories, you’re not only demonstrating that you value their ideas, you also reap the benefits of being part of an awesome team that’s equipped to think outside the box! So, whatever line of business you’re in, challenge yourself today to think about ways you can make your workplace more welcoming for everyone, regardless of gender. This can look like…
- Ensuring you have the most updated policies and training in place, so that men and women communicate professionally and appropriately with each other—no “sweet” talk, folks.
- Making conscious efforts to be more inclusive. If the men in your office are scheduling a client golf outing, for instance, invite your female team members. You never know what they might bring to the game and the business conversation.
- Trying to never make assumptions. If you allow men in your organization to have their own hotel on business trips, don’t assume women want to “bunk” together and share a room—or that they don’t want to join the team for after-dinner drinks. Women enjoy the same privacy and privileges as men and deserve to be treated with the same respect.
- Leading the way. The phrase “representation matters” gets thrown around a lot in the media, but we really think it’s true. Spotlighting rock star women within your organization—from front-line employees to senior leaders—encourages up-and-comers and sends a message that their efforts will be valued, too. This also means you don’t miss out on future talent!
While a lot of progress has been made, each of us at SimplyConnect believes there’s still more we can all do to keep gender equality top of mind. Take a listen to hear how we're celebrating the lessons that paved the way for our own successes, as well as what we’re doing to support and empower other women to bring their best.
