In today's professional landscape, creating an inclusive environment where women can thrive requires intentional action and sustained commitment. While many organizations have made strides toward gender equality, there remain critical areas where targeted support and advocacy can make a meaningful difference. This article explores seven ways you can support women’s growth in the workplace.
Provide and encourage mentorship.
The value of mentorship cannot be overlooked. Women who have female mentors, have someone to lean on and ask questions that has been there. They learn how to speak to other professionals, how to take advantage of opportunities, and get an inside look at what a path to success looks like. Seek mentors to help and if they don’t exist in your organization, reach out to connections for suggestions. Finally, pay for the mentorship so women are not excluded from these opportunities.
Encourage and pay for attendance at events and peer groups for women.
Every time I see a colleague who is part of Chief, I get a twinge of jealousy. Being a part of peer groups like this gives women even more opportunity to learn from others. In addition, it gives them a much-needed group of women in similar circumstances to simply “be” with and lean on when needed.
Women’s events are a special gift for women looking to grow and build connections. I also highly suggest them for your younger team members who need to meet connections and might be trying to find their path. I will often get asked, “why women’s events and groups?” The truth is that women have a different journey. And in my experience, when women get in these groups together, they can just “be” and are more likely to build connections and get the support they need to navigate challenges only women can understand.
Ensure that women’s achievements are spotlighted.
Let me start by saying, I’m not promoting only spotlighting women’s achievements. What I am saying is make sure that they don’t go unrecognized because they were achieved by women or someone else took credit for the work. Be very intentional when it comes to significant projects to ensure you know who completed the work. While the current business environment encourages the “team” approach (and I understand why), unfortunately this approach can lessen the attention that women receive on their work. In turn, this can lead to missed promotions and fewer opportunities.
Avoid common issues with meetings.
Speaking over women or not allowing them to have a voice is a known issue in meetings with male peers. Be the person who ensures that everyone in the room gets an opportunity to contribute. “I think Andrea had something she was trying to say…” is a great way to be an advocate if you can see someone struggling to be heard. Moreover, when a male colleague repeats and tries to own an idea that a woman shared earlier in the meeting, be sure to say, “I agree. The suggestion that Erica made earlier was a great idea.”
Create tailored development programs.
I am a huge believer in tailored development programs for all team members who show leadership potential. For women specifically, these programs focus on developing women in areas where they may be deficient and ensuring that they have the same opportunities given to men. Certainly, this includes guiding them on specific reading and education they should pursue. But it also includes providing work time to pursue these things and the opportunities you set forth. Create opportunities for women to be involved with influential groups in your organization so they can learn and be a part of the conversation. Helping women develop confidence and executive presence can also go a long way although I do wish we could flush the “executive presence” terminology and encourage just being “genuine professional” instead.
Make promotion decisions based on results and ability.
All too often in my career, I’ve seen promotion decisions get made based on how many hours someone is able to work, if they go to alllllll the golf outings, have had access to certain powerful groups, etc. Women often have caregiving responsibilities and limits on how many hours they can work due to hidden illnesses. Yet their results are extraordinary and often with fewer hours worked. I’ve been told I, “get more done in 40 hours than others get done in 50 hours,” more than once in my career. And that work is typically above expectations. Golfing, drinking after work, and watching sports have nothing to do with anyone’s work output.
Provide programs that support women through the stages of life.
Develop programs that help new moms adjust and have time with their little ones. Work with menopause experts and your medical insurance providers to develop policies and medical coverage that support women through this often-disruptive stage of life. You might be shocked to hear that some medical plans don’t cover the basics like hormone replacement theory. Be open to working with the millions of women who hide autoimmune and chronic illnesses by providing holistic care options and accommodations.
Once we are able to acknowledge that women in professional roles, especially Black women and other women of color, have challenges that we can help with – the sooner we can start help bridging those gaps and get these talented women in the roles they were meant to soar in!
Sending you all the HR good vibes,
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