Supporting Women in the Workplace Requires More Intent and Nuance Than Ever

This year, Women’s History Month and International Women’s Day celebrations were especially sobering given the evolving situation in Ukraine. We have three organizations there, each of them run by women. As a woman, I know how difficult it can be to run a company while balancing the other roles we play in our lives, including motherhood and caregiving. The idea of being at the center of conflict, dealing with extraordinary conditions as they bravely relocate their families to other countries in addition to leading and supporting their agencies through wartimes, is unfathomable. These women—Alina Kotenko, Tatiana Popova and Nataliya Morozova—are my heroes, and I salute each of them. Data is showing us that women are more burned out than ever, and the gap between the number of men and women in the workplace has doubled. Women felt the burden of the pandemic disproportionately, as many took on more responsibility at home or left the workforce due to lack of childcare, among other issues. Women without caregiving responsibilities are also feeling burned out due to needing to be “on” constantly, and that’s taking a toll on their mental health and wellbeing. Sadly, women in senior management roles, Black women and those who are LGBTQ+ are experiencing the most challenges. People Trust These Brands More When Women Advertise Them It’s important that we look through a lens of intersectionality and create equitable working conditions for all people—especially through hybrid work environments, employee benefits and top-down company culture. The pandemic taught us we can be effective at home; and now that physical locations are opening back up across the country, we must ensure we don’t revert to the sometimes-toxic days of old. Workplace inequities could become greater in a hybrid environment because men are typically going to the office more, which could leave women who choose to work mainly from home left out, forgotten, ignored or overlooked—and those in the office, outnumbered. The way to combat this is by reinforcing the positives of hybrid work arrangements and quickly addressing any behavior that perpetuates the “boys club” we’ve worked so hard as an industry to move away from. When it comes to benefits, that lens of intersectionality is critical in ensuring what we are offering employees is relevant to their individual life stages and truly helps drive equity. Let’s take family planning for instance. Maternity leave is the standard, but it’s also important to consider and provide resources for those who may have a different journey, such as adoption or fertility treatments, while also being inclusive of men. We must create paths for all people to succeed. Data shows us that women find it difficult to speak up on Zoom, so let’s create the space for them to be heard. We know those in the office have access to information more readily than those at home, so let’s be intentional about ensuring lines of communication are open and we’re sharing pertinent information with all team members. Take up space, but set boundaries At Havas, we launched a Women’s History Month initiative called Mark Her Words, where we held space for women to tell their own stories. I had the opportunity to host an illuminating discussion with two experts—Jay Rai, an empowerment psychologist specializing in the neuroscience of mental health, and Raegan Burden, Havas’ scholar-in-residence who specializes in media, culture and the health and wellbeing of women in multicultural communities—about the challenges women face and steps we can take in the workplace to help improve their wellbeing. Something Burden said stuck with me: “You can do everything, but you can’t do everything”—meaning, you can do whatever you want personally and professionally, but it’s impossible to have the capacity to do everything you feel you must do based on societal norms or professional pressures. You must be intentional about your goals, allowing yourself the space to accomplish them while setting clear boundaries to maintain your health and wellbeing. Encourage advocacy from others—especially men The easiest way for people to advance their careers is to have someone in leadership in their corner, someone who can speak up for them and has their back when they aren’t in the room. Finding a mentor or an advocate in the workplace is easier said than done for a lot of women—there's trepidation in going to male colleagues for advice or help for fear of appearing weak or underqualified. True allyship requires intentionality; and to help men become better allies overall, women must find the courage to bring them in and show them how they can be of service to their career growth. Fortunately, we have an amazing generation of men who are growing up with women as their leaders, and they are already eagerly demonstrating that they are great allies. Pay it forward Being a woman inherently creates a sisterhood with other women, and we owe it to each other to lift each other up and support one another, as that’s the only way we’ll harness our collective power. Be that mentor you wish you'd had to a young person entering the workforce. Stand up for someone you see being treated unfairly. Create opportunities for those who come after you to pursue a career path like your own, but without the unnecessary hurdles. Create policies and workplace procedures that promote intersectional equity. And finally, share your network. A simple connection could be the spark someone needs to kick start their future. Women’s History Month Is Almost Over. How Will You Continue to #BreakTheBias?