4 ideas for International Women’s Day
We have heard a lot about the importance of having a diverse team and all the benefits it brings, but this is not the reality for many companies nowadays. The good news is that companies, even though they haven’t achieved their ideal diverse teams, have the goal of diversifying their teams in the near future. However, it is not an easy task.
In order to do so, leaders should try to get rid of their unconscious bias. The companies, on the other hand, should show themselves attractive to a more diverse group of employees. How can companies do it? They should have actions that prove that their goal of having a more diverse team is not just on the words on the wall, but it is actually on their daily actions.
March 8th is International Women’s Day. It is a day dedicated to honoring the achievements of women throughout history and all across the globe. Even though history suggests that it is a day for women to get together and fight for gender equality, it is also a good opportunity for companies to show they care! This is a way companies can act aiming for a more diverse team and show, not just to their current employees, but also to their future talent that it is a safe place to be whoever you want to be.
What should companies do? There are different actions that companies can do and here I will share 4 ideas.
1- Send an appreciation e-mail
I’m sure every company has those women who stand out. It can be due to a project they elaborated on, a great deal they closed, or an action they had internally that impacted other employees. Companies can send an e-mail to all the employees highlighting these achievements and appreciating these women.
If your company is small, you can highlight the achievements of all the women that work in the company. I’m sure they all have had a positive impact recently.
2- Send a gift
Most of us are working from home, but we all love to receive presents. Why not sending some gifts to the houses of each of your employees? I remember when I was working at the office, every women’s day we got a gift — it could be a piece of chocolate or a small flower. This always made a difference at the start of the day because we felt the company cared.
3- Give the morning off
You can give the morning off to every woman in your company to do whatever they want. However, I believe you can encourage them to take this morning off to themselves. It can be a long breakfast, a home spa, meditation time, they chose. You can even share with them ideas, for example, on how to do a home spa! I’m sure they will all like to have time for themselves.
4- Promote a discussion
This is a day when everyone is invited to discuss changes that can be done to increase gender equality. Why not schedule a meeting to promote this discussion in your company? Hear what your employees have to say, no matter the gender. There might be some nice ideas on how to increase diversity in your company.
I hope you can implement at least one of these ideas and you can make a difference in your company. Do you have other ideas? Share with me what your company has done!
