How you can support women in the workplace

March 8^th is International Women’s Day, where we celebrate girl power all around the world. 2018 is also the 100th anniversary of the Representation of the People Act 1918 – the law that made it possible for all men and a minority of women over the age of 30 to vote for the first time.

Yet even though it’s 2018, women still face a number of challenges in the workplace. Here are some of the ways you can support women in your workplace and try and create an inclusive and fair working environment.

Be inclusive

Women may feel excluded in the workplace due to their gender. Often women from different ethnic backgrounds or who are LGBT feel even more like an outsider due to their race or sexuality. If your workplace feels a bit like a ‘Boys’ Club’ at times, think about how your behaviour makes the women in your workplace feel. There’s nothing wrong with a bit of banter, but if racist, homophobic or sexist language is regularly used there may be a problem.

Be a visible ally for the women in your workplace by calling out unacceptable language or behaviour.

Also, think about the informal activities that happen in your workplace. Are you inviting everyone out for drinks on a Friday night or just ‘the lads’? Socialising can be an important part of work and a useful tool for advancement, so try to make sure everyone’s included.

Challenge your own thinking

Try not to let your own preconceptions about gender influence your thinking about a candidate’s suitability for a role or promotion. If you disagree with a colleague about an issue, challenge yourself about whether you are judging people fairly by reversing the gender of the person in question in your mind and seeing if it makes a difference to your thinking.

Stand up to sexual harassment

Recent Hollywood scandals and the #MeToo campaign have raised awareness of the problem of widespread sexual harassment and abuse of power, often by men in prominent positions.

It goes without saying that sexual harassment should be completely unacceptable in the modern workplace. Make sure staff are trained in spotting and challenging these behaviours and managers take reports of harassment seriously.

Lead by example

If you’re in a management role, assess how equal your workplace really is for women. Are you offering the right support to women returning from maternity leave? Are you open to flexible working arrangements for employees who are parents (both male and female)? Ensure you’re not contributing to the gender pay gap by carrying out a wages audit and ensuing wage transparency at all levels.

Don’t shy away from confronting difficult topics, such as race or gender, it’s your job as a leader to be an example of inclusiveness and forward thinking for your employees. Set clear ground rules for your team about what is and isn’t acceptable and hold both your team and yourself accountable.

Ultimately, supporting and encouraging women at work will only serve to make your workplace happier and more diverse.

If you’re looking for your next role, check out jobs24.com

Posted on February 28, 2018