Women in the workplace always faced an uphill battle. They spent years of lobbying and protesting to become workers. Yet, even after that, they face many obstacles and problems. Issues like equal pay, sexual harassment, work-life balance, etc. are some of the issues a working woman faces.
The need for progressive policies in 2023
As our society grows and develops, there is a need for company policies that benefit women. After all, women are an essential part of the workforce. If a company provides for their needs, they are motivated to do more. This approach benefits the company, leading to better results.
A company adopting progressive policies embraces the future. We’ve compiled a list of the most progressive policies to use in 2023 that benefit female employees. This article helps you make an informed choice when choosing a workplace policy meant to help women.
Consider having equal pay policies
Many companies often pay their female employees less than the male employees. Such a move often makes the female employees feel less valuable and results in them contributing less to the company. Taken further, they could leave for better pastures, resulting in a loss of talent. Consider having equal pay policies in your company. Cisco, Deloitte, Expedia, Glassdoor, GoDaddy, etc. are some major companies that have introduced equal pay. This policy goes a long way to help women in the workplace feel valued and contribute more.
Help achieve a stable work-life balance
Women in the workplace, particularly mothers face incredibly difficult challenges every day. They have to balance doing their work while taking care of the family. Such a demand weighs heavily on their mental state and often leads to burnout or reduced productivity. Companies can help mitigate the trouble by providing these women with several options. Consider flexible working hours, part-time options, and work from home. Introducing these policies does nothing to affect the company’s bottom line but goes a long way to helping working women. These policies help them achieve that necessary work-life balance they are aiming for.
Maternity and paternity leave
Becoming a parent is a new, exciting, and often scary time for any family. There is much to consider, plan and think about which adds to the stress on both sides. Family can help but not always. Often, many couples must navigate this new part of their lives on their own. Many companies already provide paternity and maternity leave to help parents through these times. However, it is the amount of leave that many employees, especially female ones have trouble with. Companies often provide a very minimal number of days for maternity leave and even less for paternity leave. Such an approach often adds more stress to these families as they must quickly adjust and make arrangements for their new lifestyle. Hence, it is better for companies to first think about and give potential parents an adequate amount of leave time. This policy helps them better adjust without facing further stress.
Mentorship and professional development
Many times, women in the workplace have trouble developing themselves or evolving their skills. Often, they have to undertake external classes to learn new things. This move makes it much harder for them to maintain their work-life balance. A company can solve this issue through professional development courses and mentorship programs. There are many online classes available on multiple platforms. With a little setup, the company makes it easy for their female employees to learn, evolve and grow. Such a process ultimately ends up being a net positive for the company.
Anti-harassment and anti-discrimination policies
Women in the workplace still have issues of sexual harassment even in 2023. Despite efforts made by the Government and companies, often cases of sexual harassment are swept aside. This mindset negatively impacts female employees, leading to disastrous results. Companies can enact stringent zero-tolerance policies but even then that was not enough. It ultimately falls on companies to take special steps to ensure workplace safety and gender equality. Beyond teaching self-defense classes, companies can use special software to help their female employees feel safe. Solutions, like I’m Safe, give female employees the ability to make anonymous complaints to a company admin. These admins take the reports and use them to help the employees and the company.
Some well known companies with progressive policies
Nestle
The global food giant pledged to remove the wage gap and bring in more women into executive positions. To that end, the company introduced many mentorship programs, flexible work policies and encouraged the use of paid parental leave.
Starbucks
Starbucks made waves across the world for achieving 100% pay equity between women in the workplace, men, and minorities. The company shared the tools and principles used to reach their goal. Also, the company’s transparency about their wages makes it easy to recruit top talent.
Accenture
Accenture is working to achieve a gender-balanced workforce by 2025. Presently, women represent nearly 45% of the company’s global workforce. The company achieves this through mentorship programs and flexible scheduling.
How can I’m Safe org help in implementing progressive policies?
I’m Safe org plays a crucial role in implementing progressive policies by providing a platform that prioritizes women’s safety in the workplace. The app offers essential features tailored specifically for working women, including an anonymous reporting system and other safety measures. By facilitating anonymous reporting, I’m Safe org empowers women to voice their concerns without fear of retaliation, ensuring a safe and confidential avenue for addressing workplace issues. With I’m Safe org’s commitment to women’s safety and their comprehensive range of features, they contribute to the implementation of forward-thinking policies that promote gender equality and foster an inclusive and empowering workplace culture.
Closing thoughts
The policies listed above are some of the best ways to help women in the workplace grow and contribute more to the company. Companies like Accenture, Nestle, and Starbucks understand the need for gender equality and took the steps necessary to make it happen. Hence, they are benefitting immensely from the results. With the right approach, you can introduce these policies in your company and benefit from the results.