Why Women’s History Month is important
Observed in the US in March and in October in Canada, Women's History Month draws attention to women’s achievements past and present to raise awareness of their many important contributions to society, inspire girls and women, and foster respect.
Women have made enormous strides in the last century like winning the right to vote and to be financially responsible for themselves (US News). More women than men are now earning undergraduate (Statista) and graduate (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development) degrees. The contributions of women to science and many other fields have improved the lives of millions and there are women in top political positions across the globe. As critical as all these advances have been, there is still much work ahead to improve the status of women after more than a thousand years of uneven power dynamics.
Snapshot of the current global status of women
Progress in the last 20 years has been slow and is now stalling in many areas such as the global wage gap. Women on average are paid 20% less than men (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development) and there are 10 percent fewer women than men in the global workforce (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development).
Catalyst’s workforce pyramid shows that the more people advance into senior leadership positions, the fewer women are represented. Women are only 10% of CEOs on the 2023 Fortune 500 list (Fortune) and hold 30% of their board seats (Harvard Law School Forum on Corporate Governance). At the current rate of progress, International Women’s Day research predicts that it will take nearly a half century for corporate America to reach parity for women.
Beyond the workplace, globally one in three women and girls will experience violence in their lifetimes, men have $105 trillion more wealth than women, and at the current rate of progress, legal equality won’t be achieved globally for three centuries.
Why workplaces should recognize Women’s History Month
To demonstrate that organizations value and respect their women employees, there are many ways workplaces can recognize Women’s History Month. Feeling valued and respected contribute to the experience of inclusion, and inclusion and belonging drive higher employee engagement, innovation, intent to stay, and team problem solving – all of which benefit business.
Belonging is about feeling as though you are part of a group, and it results from being included. Inclusion stems from multiple factors such as organizational trust to contribute to business results and psychological safety.
Almost one-half of employees don’t experience inclusion at work and many leaders don’t know it. The number of employees who say they don’t experience inclusion is 10 times higher than leaders estimate. Lack of inclusion can result in intent to leave. Fostering belonging and inclusion can protect against employee attrition and the cost of replacement, and since it can cost up to four times more than an employee’s yearly salary to replace them, the financial case for cultivating inclusion is clear.
Women’s achievements should be recognized no matter the month, but especially during Women’s History Month. Drawing attention to the contributions of women employees and to women in general can result in women feeling seen and valued and increase their experiencing of belonging and inclusion and intent to stay.
Ideas for observing Women’s History Month in the workplace
An effective way to observe Women’s History Month is to recognize women in your organization. Create a questionnaire or interview women at all levels to draw attention to their contributions to their teams and to the greater business. Ask about their special skills and experience working at your organization like length of tenure, work trajectory, and what they’re most proud of accomplishing. Ask about a hobby to paint a fuller picture. Singling out women in this way will help them feel valued and the increased company-wide awareness will elevate the perception of women employees.
Inviting a speaker or a series of speakers to celebrate and motivate women and give career advice is another effective way to observe Women’s History Month. A woman leader within your organization or industry could share the story of how she got where she is, providing insights into career navigation, the organization or industry, and herself. Outside speakers could tell their stories of adversity and achievement, start discussions around work and gender, and inspire attendees.
Other ways to observe Women’s History Month include designating a day to wear purple (the official color of Women’s History Month) and sharing daily trivia about women that could include the accomplishments of famous women and data about women in the workforce and beyond.
When people know about the important contributions of women within an organization, an industry, and the world, their perceptions might shift about an individual woman or women in general. Workplaces that value women and all aspects of diversity foster a culture of respect, belonging, and inclusion that increases collaboration, strengthens teams, and positively affects employee retention, innovation, and business revenue. Employees then take this respect for people from marginalized backgrounds with them into their communities and the world, creating a ripple effect of appreciation and respect.