Throughout March, organizations everywhere are celebrating Women’s History Month. And today, March 8, we celebrate International Women’s Day.
These campaigns are designed to help bring greater awareness to women’s contributions and achievements. At the same time, they’re designed to highlight women’s ongoing challenges related to equal rights and gender equality.
Beyond communications campaigns and social media posts, organizations can use this time to take a closer look at how their environment, policies, practices and culture foster inclusion and create equity, and then begin to take necessary steps for meaningful change.
1. Build Awareness: Conduct a benefits assessment to review policies around flexibility, paid leave and inclusive parental leave offerings. Gather internal data and have honest conversations about women’s pay and representation in leadership roles, with specific goals and strategies surrounding opportunities for improvement.
2. Implement Inclusive Policies: Organizations can ensure that they have policies in place that promote gender diversity, equity and inclusion in their workplace, including recruiting, promoting and retaining women in their workforce. Review what resources are available for whole person care and work-life balance, and what new support or solutions could be implemented.
3. Encourage Professional Development: Organizations can encourage women to develop their professional skills by offering training programs, mentorship opportunities, and professional development resources.
4. Celebrate Women’s Achievements: Organizations can celebrate achievements of women in their community by organizing an award ceremony or a recognition program.
5. Donate to Women’s Causes: Organizations can support women’s causes by donating to organizations that focus on women’s issues such as domestic violence, gender inequality, and women’s health.
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