As International Women’s Day approaches, I am reminded of the long history of women joining the workforce and the way that the presence of women has impacted workplaces everywhere. When we think of “women in the workplace” we might imagine a horde of Mad Men-style secretaries typing industriously and taking notes on steno pads, or we might think of power suits paired with sneakers in the Working Girl era of the eighties. International Women’s Day was started as a way to support the women of the garment unions when they went on strike in the early 1900s.
The truth is that women did enjoy a great surge of work in the post-WWII world of the fifties and sixties, and since then women have been increasing their presence in offices and on teams steadily. But even sixty years later, there are still barriers to upward mobility and success for women in the professional world, despite women making up almost 50% of the workforce.
A study conducted by The Center for Creative Leadership found that women in leadership roles created tangible benefits to office culture, including better job satisfaction and decreased burnout—for all employees, not just the women. Women were also linked to increased employee engagement and retention across organizations of all sizes and in all industries. Not only do women bring a different perspective but they change the dynamic of the workplace itself in a positive way.
It might be easy to think that creating a woman-friendly space means simply stocking the company fridge with healthy snacks and handing out throw blankets, but fostering women leaders is more than a gender stereotype. Women want specific things from their workplaces, many of them the same things that their male counterparts want - the ability to make an impact, flexible hours for work-life balance, career pathways, promotions and leadership development opportunities. Leadership opportunities are one of the key ways for women to achieve the other aspects of a position that they most want, but some obstacles to women pursuing and succeeding in leadership roles can be a lack of leadership skills, confidence or a lack of mentorship.
According to Morgan Stanley Research from 2019, a more diverse workforce, as represented by women across all levels of the organization, was correlated with higher average returns. If you or your company want to do even better this year, now is the time to invest in your high potential women leaders. Creating pathways for upward mobility, project ownership and the opportunity to gain greater leadership skills are critical for success. Holding a workshop on courage and confidence can be a great way to foster your high potential leaders. So this International Women’s Day, take the time to celebrate both your own accomplishments and those of your women leaders.