By Jenny Genge, VP Ambassador Experience Support
With the Great Resignation continuing across the US, one interesting trend has become apparent: women are currently leading the mass exodus.
Women in every industry are leaving their jobs at a rate of about three times that of men, according to a recent report by women’s empowerment platform FairyGodBoss. Instead, they’re choosing to take on more meaningful work at companies with women in leadership positions, great cultures, flexible work hours, and values that align with theirs.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, women represented 47% of the US workforce in 2019, yet they only occupied 22% of managerial roles. Furthermore, the number of women in managerial positions is now low among women and low compared to men at 34%. Unfortunately, the women in these roles often face discrimination, sexual harassment, and unfair promotion practices—a trend that ultimately led to their frontrunner position in the recent resignations.
So what can companies do to attract, support, and retain women in this challenging recruitment environment? Here are some key points and suggestions for creating a great workplace for women, taken from our approach here at Activus Connect.
What makes a Great Workplace for Women?
Women appreciate companies that value them and their contributions equally. Companies should be flexible about working hours and schedules, childcare support, sick leave, maternity leave, etc. They should also offer women opportunities for career advancement and continuous learning and training programs on new skills and technology.
So, with that in mind…
How can companies create a great workplace for women?
There are several steps that companies can take to create a better working environment for women. For example, companies should encourage women to talk about their career aspirations and goals with mentors to feel more confident within the workplace. It’s also vital to surround women with successful female leaders who will champion and mentor them as they work toward their dreams.
Activus Connect offers women a great work culture. We are a woman-owned company, and more than 50% of our C-suite, leadership, and general Ambassador community are women. Our female Ambassadors have the opportunity to advance through promotion, mentorship, and individual career development and coaching.
We also recognize the underlying need of most of our workforce who seek continual learning, so we offer opportunities to transfer to different areas within our operations, keeping them excited, engaged, and motivated.
Leadership training and gender neutrality
A great way to help women feel more valued in the workplace is by introducing women’s leadership programs, including training, coaching, and mentoring. It’s vital to train leaders to support the workforce while tailoring leadership programs to their individual needs with empathy and without bias. That goes for all genders.
Organizations must have gender-neutral policies because everyone should be included, not just one group. It is also essential that all managers are trained in handling both men and women, thereby creating a balance.
At Activus Connect, women are encouraged to talk about their career aspirations with their managers to feel more comfortable within the workplace environment. We also have female mentors who help women advance through promotion opportunities and continuous learning and development courses on new technologies, which keep them excited and motivated.
Flexible, Remote Opportunities
Women are choosing more work-from-home opportunities to better manage the demands of their personal and professional lives. Work-from-home careers allow women to control their schedules and spend time with family and friends with more intentionality and purpose.
In 2021, women will make up a growing percentage of remote workers as companies continue to respond by adding flexible working options. According to Global Workplace Analytics, women already make up 37% of the remote workforce in the US.
Thoughtful flexibility allows highly skilled individuals to balance their personal lives with what they do professionally. As such, the companies leading today’s market are cultivating human-based processes that efficiently meet business needs while empowering the workforce to have an active voice in how they best work.
Companies have been proactive about adding more flexible work options to attract and retain women. For example, by the end of 2020, 22% of businesses are projected to offer remote working opportunities, meaning less commuting time and fewer expenses.
As a 100% remote company, our female employees have found that “people trust each other and can reach their full human potential, no matter who they are or what they do”. They’ve been able to enjoy “consistent experiences of innovation, company values, and effective leaders” while recognizing the representation of women in the workforce and throughout management. Not our words, but the sentiment of our strong female workforce as recognized by being named in the Top 10 Fortune Best Workplaces for Women™ 2021 for small and medium companies!
Wrapping Up
People are opting to choose work that they believe in, which drives them, giving them a sense of purpose. On the other hand, women leave their jobs for various reasons, such as lack of advancement opportunities, feeling unfulfilled, and conflict in navigating personal and professional obligations. As such, it’s crucial to create an environment where women can grow and succeed within the organization, which will ultimately lead to women staying and elevating experiences across all aspects of their lives.