A workplace ought to build women up, empowering them. It’s the right thing to do. It’s also going to benefit the business. To talk more about this topic, including strategies to encourage women leaders, please welcome psychologist Dr. Hanna Yang. Her guest post follows.
Creating an Empowering Business Environment for Professional Women
Although the past decade has seen a certain level of progress towards more equality, the business landscape still continues to present unique obstacles for many women. That being said, all organizations can take progressive steps when helping to pave the way for a more inclusive future for female workers, specifically by focusing on empowerment.
But while supporting all genders in workplace environments is the right thing to do, there are also various strategic elements to developing a more inclusive company culture. When all employees, including women, feel valued and secure in their positions, they’re able to achieve more for themselves and the organization they work in.
Thankfully, there are some effective strategies all businesses can put in place to help empower women in their careers.
Why Empowering Women is So Important in Business
While the term “empowerment” is sometimes overused and not given the level of importance it should have, it is an important catalyst for increasing creativity and motivation in professional settings while helping to facilitate a more diverse range of perspectives in the workplace.
That being said, there is still much work that needs to be done to ensure all members of an organization feel empowered equally. Below are some of the obstacles that many industries still face:
Dealing with Gender Bias
The persistent issue of gender bias continues to be a common problem in many workplace environments, regardless of progress being made in various regions. These biases can quickly impact women’s ability to feel like they can or should fully contribute their best efforts to the organization they work with.
Whether it’s subtle prejudices that impact hiring decisions or simply outdated stereotypes related to a woman’s ability to work in the same roles as a man, all of these issues can quickly lead to a poor working culture.
Lack of Diversity in Professional Settings
The lack of diversity or inclusion in many industries can be a major stumbling block for many organizations. When a company fails to build a more inclusive working environment, they often miss out on the value that unique perspectives or ideas can bring to their teams.
Inadequate Industry Representation
Across certain sectors, especially those that specialize in areas like cybersecurity, there is an apparent lack of leadership roles occupied by women. This inequality can give off the wrong impression regarding an organization’s priorities and can also be detrimental to its overall success.
Studies have shown that having a gender-diverse organization regularly outperforms less diverse businesses, underscoring the fact that empowering women in professional settings is both an ethical necessity and a smart business strategy.
The Ongoing Issue of Workplace Harassment
The unfortunate reality is that many women still face a certain amount of vulnerability to harassment when working in office settings. This can create a hostile working environment that makes it hard to feel motivated and passionate about the work being accomplished.
Strategies for Increasing Empowerment in the Workplace
Creating an empowered workplace takes a concentrated approach. It requires the implementation of deliberate strategies designed to break down industry biases and establish a healthy level of diversity. Below are some strategies you can follow:
Establishing Mentorship Programs
Mentorship programs can be a great way to create a more empowered workforce. They help to establish valuable connections between employees and other more experienced professionals who are able to offer guidance and support as individuals move further in their careers.
Having a woman mentor can be especially influential. These mentors can help to offer their own personal experience when overcoming gender-specific challenges and give invaluable advice on how to stay empowered regardless of the obstacles that come up.
Educating Others on Unconscious Bias
Unconscious biases can be a leading cause of workplace disparities. To help address these issues, organizations should first acknowledge that they exist and then prioritize the education of all employees on how these issues can be a major issue in the organization.
Providing regular training sessions on human diversity can help empower employees to recognize their own biases and consider helpful strategies to mitigate them. This can help build a more equitable workplace where everyone feels valued and respected equally.
Organizing Special Events
Networking events tailored toward women can be a great way for businesses to improve empowerment. These initiatives can help to create a space where women can create valuable connections, share their own personal stories, and start to build a supportive community.
These types of events can also be a great starting point for helping everyone to equally take a share in breaking down societal barriers while also inspiring one another to recognize and celebrate the accomplishments of all employees.
Providing More Leadership Opportunities
To help empower women to take on more responsibilities in their current roles, it’s critical to create an environment that actively supports the development of new skills. This can be accomplished through a variety of initiatives, including leadership training programs and other skill development workshops.
These courses not only help to strengthen and develop new skills, but they also provide opportunities to showcase the achievements of other successful female leaders and give much-needed inspiration for younger employees earlier in their careers.
Creating More Supportive Workplace Policies
Supportive workplace policies are another important element of nurturing empowerment in business settings. Your business’s policies should include elements that encourage and support work-life balance, including flexible working schedules or generous parental leave.
They should also spend time clearly lining the anti-harassment measures that are put in place and transparent complaint resolution procedures to make sure all employees feel safe in the environment in which they’re working.
Start Making Your Organization More Empowering
Focusing on workplace inclusivity isn’t something that can happen overnight and should be an ongoing commitment from all organizations. By adopting the strategies discussed, businesses can play their role in creating more diverse workplaces where everyone feels valued and empowered to be the very best version of themselves.
About Today’s Writer, Dr. Hannah Yang
Visionary and healthcare entrepreneur by passion, Licensed Psychologist by training, Dr. Hannah Yang loves creating new possibilities in the world of mental health and wellness. Dr. Yang established Balanced Awakening in 2015 as a niche psychotherapy practice for women. As Balanced Awakening flourishes in Chicago, and soon Miami, she also loves to tap into her passion for design and Feng Shui to create fabulous environments for herself, her team, and clients.
Photo by setthaphat from Setthaphat (Canva Free).