This has been a tough year for everyone, but when it comes to working, the negative impact on women has been significantly greater than it has been on men. Some of the data is truly startling. In Don’t Let the Pandemic Set Back Gender Equality, published in the Harvard Business Review last September, the authors shared analysis which found that, while women make up 39% of global employment, as of May 2020, they accounted for a staggering 54% of overall pandemic-related job loss. 

For women still in the workforce, the pandemic is making things harder

While many women have lost their jobs entirely, life in a time of pandemic is making things more difficult for women who remain in the workforce. This was detailed in the most recent Women in the Workplace Report, an annual study of corporate America conducted by McKinsey & Company and LeanIn.Org. One of their most interesting findings was that senior-level women “are 1.5 times more likely than senior-level men to think about downshifting their careers or leaving the workforce because of Covid-19. Almost 3 in 4 cite burnout as a main reason.” This is thanks to the additional caregiving burdens that have fallen on mothers with children at home during the pandemic. 

This finding should be a wakeup call to organizations that they need to, in the 1776 words of Abigail Adams to her husband John, “remember the ladies.”

Why does this matter? And what can we do about it?

It has been proven time and time again that organizations that leverage diversity at all levels perform better than those that do not. This is not, of course, confined to gender diversity. Racial diversity matters. A lot. As do age, geography, and socioeconomic and educational background. The more diverse, the better! But if the pandemic is driving women to draw back from the workforce, we need to take heed of this situation. 

There’s no one simple fix to ensuring gender diversity, but there are a few steps organizations can make that will improve things for women in the workplace:

1. Take advantage of technology: With millions of professionals working from home this past year, technology that enables meetings and collaboration has certainly been a major factor. Post-pandemic, technology can continue to support a more flexible work environment. But let’s make sure we’re taking advantage of technology, rather than having technology take advantage of us. Organizations should revise work policies and communications standards outlining expectations of when people need to be working. The fact that technology allows for “always on” doesn’t mean that employees need to be available 24/7. Many organizations are starting to institute policies that establish timeout periods when employees are NOT expected to respond to calls, texts, and emails. 
2. Be flexible in terms of adapting to specific needs: Once corporate policies are revised, allow managers and employees to adapt them to their specific needs. For example, for one-on-one meetings, allow some latitude on meeting times that work best, which may not be during a typical 9-5 workday. And allowing for occasional non-video calls may take the pressure off mothers of young ones concerned that their children might make an unexpected guest appearance. 
3. Leverage diversity of thought: Organizations should be encouraging employees at all levels to innovate. Providing opportunities to do so can drive gender equity, both internally and externally. Instead of expecting the innovation hub or strategy team to come up with all the new ideas themselves, organizations should ask the people doing the work what would be most helpful for the company and for its customers. If you ask the women in your workforce for ideas on how your company can adapt existing products or services to drive gender equity, they’ll likely have plenty of good answers!

When it comes to women in the workforce, the pandemic is providing a good loud wakeup call. We don’t want to undo the progress that’s been made to date with respect to gender diversity.

What steps has your organization taken to help close the gender gap? 

Ellen Bailey is senior advisor for diversity, inclusion, and belonging at Harvard Business Publishing Corporate Learning. Email her at ellen.bailey@harvardbusiness.org. 

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“The highest result of education is tolerance”

Some notable and famous professors include Mary Jane McLeod Bethune, Helen Keller and Dr. Hayat Sindi. Let’s take a look at their influence and how they have changed the world. 

Mary Jane McLeod Bethune (1875-1955)

Mary Jane McLeod Bethune was an American educator and stateswoman. She was a philanthropist, humanitarian, and civil rights activist as she believed that education was the key to racial advancement. Mary Jane started a private school for African-American students in Daytona Beach, Florida in 1904 that later became known as Bethune-Cookman University. Her story inspired many and enacted real change. She became the national adviser to President Franklin D. Roosevelt as part of his Black Cabinet. Mary Jane McLeod Bethune is an icon that will be forever celebrated for her racial advancement initiatives. 

Helen Keller (1880-1968)

“The highest result of education is tolerance,” says Helen Keller. Helen Keller was known for her influence on the blind and deaf community. She was the 20th century’s leading humanitarians. In 1920, she helped found the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), a nonpartisan, non-profit organization with the leading statement: “to defend and preserve the individual rights and liberties guaranteed to every person in this country by the Constitution and laws of the United States.” She mastered touch-lip reading, Braille, speech, typing, sign language, and finger spelling. There wasn’t anything this woman couldn’t achieve in her lifetime. 

Dr. Hayat Sindi (1967-present)

Dr. Hayat Sindi, a medical scientist, was the first Saudi woman accepted at Cambridge University in the field of biotechnology. She was also the very first woman from the Arab States of the Persian Gulf to complete her doctoral degree in her respected field. Dr. Sindi is the co-founder of Diagnostics for All, an NGO that provides medical care in remote and impoverished areas. She says that, “a true scientist should focus on affordable simple solutions to reach everyone in the world.” A true hero to all. 

Coaching is just one part of it, breaking barriers is another

Although we see more female coaches in college and professional sports now, this wasn’t always the case. Women like Tara VanDerveer, Kim Mulkey, and Patty Gasso have had to face huge odds and obstacles to prove their higher position in sports. These powerful women have stories to tell of their own, with extremely impressive backgrounds. 

Tara VanDerveer

Tara VanDerveer has been the head coach of women’s basketball at Stanford University since 1985. She took one year off in 1996 to coach the U.S. national team in preparation for the Olympic Games in Atlantic, Georgia. In 1990, VanDerveer was awarded the Naismith National Coach of the Year award, and the following year led the Stanford Cardinal to NCAA Women’s Division I Basketball Championships. Impressive right? As if that weren’t impressive enough, she has won over 900 games for her team. Beat that!

Kim Mulkey

Kim Mulkey has been a name in basketball since she was young. She was one of the first players in the country to join the boys on an organized team. At Louisiana Tech University, she was an All-American Point Guard. Mulkey is currently the head coach of women’s basketball at Baylor University, a top-ranked school. She has won two NCAA National Championships. Kim Mulkey is simply undefeatable. 

Patty Gasso

Patty Gasso played softball at California State University Long Beach growing up, then began coaching at Long Beach City College. She led her team to an impressive record of 161-59-1. After, she spent twenty seasons coaching the women’s softball team at University of Oklahoma and compiled a record of 901-281-2 with a winning percentage of .762, the highest all-time among all softball coaches. Gasso’s team played in the Women’s College World Series seven times and won the national championship in 2000. Incredible to say the least. 

Celebrating their legacy

What do all of these women have in common? They are legends, icons, and barrier-breakers. If you are wanting to uphold their legacy by celebrating their accomplishments, check out OpenSesame’s list of courses for Women’s History Month. The courses range from women-led leadership skills to assertion techniques. Look no further for courses that will improve your organization by empowering the women within them:

https://www.opensesame.com/lists/detail/1064581

With courses offered in multiple languages, and available on multiple devices, OpenSesame helps companies like yours develop the world’s most developed and admired global workforces. Check out our free course of the week, and if you have any questions contact us at info@opensesame.com today.

Sources:

https://cudoo.com/blog/female-educators-who-changed-the-world/

https://www.sports-management-degrees.com/30-most-influential-women-in-college-sports/

The post Women’s History Month: Trailblazers in education and sports appeared first on OpenSesame.

Where it all started

The origins of Women’s History Month began in 1981 when Congress passed Pub. L. 97-28 which authorized the President to proclaim March 7, 1982 as “Women’s History Week.” In the 1970’s, local groups were celebrating Women’s History Week. One of the most notable celebrations was organized in Santa Rosa, California by the Education Task Force of the Sonoma County Commission on the Status of Women in 1978. 

March 8th, International Women’s Day, was chosen as a point of observance. Dozens of schools planned special programs for the week. Over 100 community women participated in presentations in classrooms throughout the country and organized an annual “Real Woman” essay contest.

After petitions were signed from the National Women’s History Project in 1987, Congress passed Pub. L. 100-9 which officially designated the month of March as “Women’s History Month.” (Source: March is Women’s History Month). Women’s History was no longer a week-long celebration but the entire month of March marking the celebration of women, their feats, milestones, and their true power. 

Celebrating women in the workplace

It is an indisputable fact that women and men remain unequal in the workplace. The general wage gap between women of all races and men of all races is about 18 cents (Source: Quick Facts About the Gender Wage Gap). This number significantly differs when comparing women of color, along with LGBTQIA+ women. Women of all race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, disability, and religious affiliation should be celebrated and empowered in the workplace. Across the world, employers are leaning into diversity and inclusion for a better work environment for all. This is a special month, in particular, to fight and advocate for diversity, equity, and inclusion. 

So what can we do to celebrate women in the workplace in March? Here are a few ideas to get you started:

• • Craft a get-to-know-you post for the women in your organization and post on corporate social media platforms
  • Run a daily social media takeover where different women in your organization post on your corporate social media accounts for the day
  • Interview the women in your organization or invite guests to go live on Instagram and answer public questions
  • Buy the ladies of your office a coffee (doubleshot energy!)
  • As a company, invest in nonprofit organizations that support women and girls (e.g. Girls Who Code, The Malala Fund, Invisible Girl Project, Girls Not Brides USA, Global Fund For Women). For an extensive list, click here: Women’s History Month & Nonprofits Focused on Women & Girls
  • Start a book club and share inspiring books from female authors
  • Female-focused roundtable: Go around and talk about the women/woman/womxn you are most inspired by and why
  • Support BIPOC women-owned small business and give a small gift to the office
  • Identify and stop using gender-biased language in meetings, job postings, day-to-day conversations 

Treat every month as Women’s History Month

Although March is specifically dedicated to Women’s History Month, check in with yourself and your organization to make sure you are advocating for the women in your office, especially women of color. Are you giving them the right platform, voice, opportunity, creative input, and respect? OpenSesame provides your organization with engaging courses you can take to inspire, educate, and boost confidence to stand out as a leader. Check these out now:

• • Getting Equality with Men: Don’t Let your Organization Work Against Diversity 
  • Assertive Communication Skills for Women
  • Leading with Gender Inclusivity
  • Small Acts of Confidence: You are Not an Imposter
  • Influencing in Meetings

With courses offered in multiple languages, and available on multiple devices, OpenSesame helps companies like yours develop the world’s most developed and admired global workforces. Check out our free course of the week, and if you have any questions contact us at info@opensesame.com today.

Sources:

https://womenshistorymonth.gov/about/

https://nationalwomenshistoryalliance.org/womens-history-month/womens-history-month-history/

https://www.cnn.com/2021/03/01/us/womens-history-month-why-march-explainer-trnd/index.html

https://www.americanprogress.org/issues/women/reports/2020/03/24/482141/quick-facts-gender-wage-gap/

https://www.charitynavigator.org/index.cfm?bay=content.view&cpid=2133&c_src=E200305AXXXXXX0&

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