How to promote respect through feminism

𝐌𝐨𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐍𝐢𝐜𝐞 𝐆𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐭𝐞 𝐀𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐨 𝐄𝐦𝐩𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫 𝐖𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐧 As we celebrate International Women's Day 2024, I've observed a familiar trend: the giving of flowers, chocolates or beauty vouchers to female colleagues. While these gestures are undeniably sweet, I think it's time to shift our focus from symbolic to substantive. Beyond the customary celebrations, there's a pressing need for concrete, actionable steps towards gender equality in the workplace. Here are ten pragmatic measures organizations can implement to genuinely empower their female employees: 1. Conduct a Comprehensive Salary Analysis: Begin by examining the salaries of all employees. Ensure there is no gender pay gap for individuals with similar roles, qualifications, and experience. If discrepancies are found, acknowledge and rectify them immediately. 2. Implement Flexible Working Options: Introduce policies like flexi-time and work-from-home options. These have proven benefits, especially for women balancing career and childcare responsibilities. 3. Schedule Considerate Meeting Times: Avoid scheduling meetings late in the day. This can disadvantage those with family commitments and inadvertently penalize them professionally. 4. Create Supportive Facilities: Establish dedicated spaces for women’s specific needs, such as areas for breastfeeding, dealing with menstrual discomfort, or taking necessary breaks. 5. Promote an Inclusive Workplace Culture: Actively foster a workplace where everyone feels heard. This includes addressing overtalking and aggressive communication in meetings, ensuring that those with quieter voices or less confidence are equally involved. 6. Redefine Gender Roles in Executive Settings: In boardrooms, avoid relegating tasks like making tea, photocopying, or minute-taking solely to women, especially when they are in the minority. 7. Balance Gender Representation in Public Forums: Ensure equal gender representation in events, media interventions, and panel discussions. Diversity of voices leads to richer, more inclusive outcomes. 8. Act Against Microaggressions: Adopt a zero-tolerance policy for microaggressions, especially those from management. This creates a safer and more respectful work environment. 9. Support Continuing Education and Networking: Sponsor women for additional training, certification, or networking events. This investment empowers them with new skills and opportunities for advancement. 10. Establish Mentorship and Sponsorship Programs: Encourage senior executives to mentor young female professionals. This guidance can be invaluable for career progression and personal development within the organization. Adopting these measures can transform the way we empower women in our workplaces. It's about creating an environment of fairness, opportunity, and respect – the true essence of empowerment. I invite you to share your insights and additional suggestions on this crucial topic 🙏

Yesterday, I'm sure your LinkedIn feed was flooded with posts for International Women's Day (with the occasional comment asking when International Men's Day is - Tuesday 19th November btw). And while a lot of posts were linked to a theme of #InspireInclusion, I'm looking at the UN Women theme of Invest in Women: Accelerate Progress. So this week, I've been posting on each of the points underneath this, for you to really think about how we can do more than just inspire inclusion to take action to invest in women! Next up is "Supporting Feminist Change-Makers". On my Twitter timeline, I know that Feminist, like many other progressive terms #Woke #DEI, is being used as an insult, but I'm not going to let that deter me from using it in earnest. And this is important because: 📢 Without feminists advocating for gender equality and women's rights, women's voices and perspectives are often overlooked in decision-making processes. 📄 Feminists play a crucial role in advocating for policy and legal reforms that address gender-based discrimination and violence against women. 📈 Feminists challenge harmful social and cultural norms that perpetuate gender stereotypes and help create more inclusive and equitable societies where women can fully participate and thrive. 👩👧 Feminists work at the grassroots level to empower women and girls through education, economic opportunities, and community work. 💢 Feminists recognise the intersectionality of gender with other forms of oppression, including race, class, sexuality, and disability. In the workplace, supporting feminist change-makers means promoting gender diversity in leadership positions and creating inclusive work environments. Set targets to increase female representation in senior management roles. In your daily life, it means standing in solidarity with women activists and supporting organisations that advocate for gender equality. Leaders, your challenge is to actively promote feminist leadership and allocate resources to feminist initiatives. For everyone, it's about amplifying women's voices, challenging sexism and discrimination, and supporting initiatives that dismantle systemic barriers. Together, let's empower women to lead and create a more just and equitable world. #FeministLeadership #EmpowerChange #StandWithWomen #InvestInWomenAccelerateProgress #IWD2024

International Women's Day falls in March each year, also known as Women's History Month. As we wrap up this month, it's the perfect time to discuss what it really means to lift each other up. Empowering women is a big deal, and it's something we can all play a part in. Here's my take on how we can make it happen: ➡ 𝐋𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐛𝐞𝐲𝐨𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐮𝐦𝐞: When you're hiring, look for potential, not just what they've done before. Women often face higher scrutiny or are overlooked for opportunities due to perceived lack of exact experience. People grow into roles if you give them the chance to do just that. I am someone who grew into the role after being given a chance based on potential. ➡ 𝐏𝐚𝐲 𝐮𝐩 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧: Women share their smarts and time all the time. If you're getting help or advice, don't just say thanks - show it. Whether it's cash, a gift card, or some other way of showing gratitude, it matters. ➡ 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐦𝐩𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐩𝐚𝐲 𝐞𝐪𝐮𝐢𝐭𝐲: If you're a people leader, it's incumbent upon you to ensure there is pay parity within your teams. Right those wrongs.  ➡ 𝐁𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞, 𝐧𝐨 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐚𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐝: Life throws curveballs, like losing a job or going through a loss of life. If you know a woman navigating tough times, don't wait on the sidelines. A surprise gesture of kindness, like sending something small but thoughtful, can really brighten their day. This is especially true for those navigating long career transitions.  ➡ 𝐄𝐧𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐛𝐨𝐥𝐝 𝐦𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐬: Job descriptions can be intimidating. But here's the thing - no one fits them perfectly, and that's okay. Encourage women to go for it anyway, especially when they're passionate about the opportunity. Do not dampen their spirit by saying they're not qualified.  ➡ 𝐀𝐝𝐯𝐨𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐞, 𝐬𝐩𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐨𝐫, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐝: Say their names even when they're not in the room. #hypewomen Empowerment boils down to this: money and respect lead to bigger things, like influence and power. 🙌🏽 The best way to get more women in leadership? 𝐌𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐬𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲'𝐫𝐞 𝐠𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐩𝐚𝐢𝐝 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐠𝐧𝐢𝐳𝐞𝐝. Keep pushing for this, not just this month, but all year round. #leadership #IWD

I was recently asked how I thought we could build better male allyship, and I offered my two cents. It would have been a whole dollar if I had more time 😉 ... Allyship isn’t passive—it’s active, visible, and intentional. Male counterparts can be powerful agents of change when they recognize the privilege of their position and choose to use it to open doors, amplify #women’s voices, and challenge inequity in real-time—not just in meetings, but also in breakrooms, briefings, and promotional decisions. Women have shared stories where male leaders made a critical difference—not by “rescuing” them, but by advocating for fair treatment, equitable opportunities, and inclusion. That kind of #leadership builds trust and shifts culture. Here’s what #allyship can look like: ✔️ Listening without defensiveness. Male allies must listen deeply, seeking to understand women’s lived experiences even when they challenge the status quo. ✔️ Calling in, not just calling out. When a woman’s idea is ignored but repeated by a man and praised, an ally can speak up: “That’s what Melissa just said. Let’s build on her point.” Small actions like that reinforce respect and visibility. ✔️ Mentoring and sponsoring women. It’s not enough to offer advice. True allies advocate for women in the rooms where decisions are made. For example, “He didn’t just mentor me—he told people I was ready when I wasn’t in the room.” ✔️ Challenging the culture—not the individual woman. Some male colleagues unknowingly perpetuate bias through jokes, locker room banter, or assumptions about leadership style. Real allies address those behaviors with their peers—because silence is complicity. To #inspire male advocates, we need to reframe the conversation. Equity is not a “women’s initiative”—it’s a leadership imperative. Being an ally isn’t about perfection—it’s about presence, practice, and purpose. When our male allies lead with humility and use their platform to elevate women, they help change not just careers—but entire cultures. Stay inspired. Be intentional.