Gender equity issues you can address during Women’s History Month

A special post authored by Electives instructor Trish Foster.

Are you looking to honor, inform, inspire and support women during Women’s History Month and throughout the year?

Check out the statistics below and discover how Electives can meet your team’s needs to celebrate Women’s History Month and other DEI holidays while creating enduring impact.

Did you know..?

• A recent National Bureau of Economic Research study asked men and women to complete a test with 20 questions, then report how they believed they performed. When asked to rank their performance on a scale of 1 to 100, the average woman ranked herself at 46 while the average man ranked himself at 61 – a 33% difference – even though both genders performed equally on the test!
• An analysis of performance reviews found that over 75% of women’s evaluations contained negative comments about their personalities, compared with 2% of men’s.
• The American Bar Association reported that 70% of women of color consider leaving/have left the profession. Why? They are undervalued and face barriers to advancement.
• When a woman whose contributions are overlooked speaks up, she is often labeled a self-promoter.

If you’re looking to help women close the gender confidence gap that stubbornly persists in the workplace…

“Closing the confidence gap: How women can overcome hidden workplace barriers and the confidence gap” is the Electives class you need.

At this workshop, your team will dive into:

1. The impact of confidence on your ability to thrive and succeed.
2. The “why” behind the confidence gap (ongoing gendered and intersectional microaggressions, including “the mommy penalty,” the “double bind,” the “broken rung” and much more play a role).
3. Strategies to boost confidence.

During this workshop, participants have a chance to share stories and connect with other attendees. The result is a dynamic, enriching and often poignant workshop that helps participants leave with the information and confidence to make significant positive changes in their lives.

Did you know..?

• Almost half of women report consistent feelings of burnout at work.
• 43% of women leaders are burned out, compared to only 31% of men at their level.
• Women are doing far more work to support diversity and inclusion – work outside their regular job responsibilities – but feel frustration that it isn’t recognized or acknowledged.
• Women of color are more deeply impacted by workplace factors that exacerbate stress and burnout.
  

If you want to help women care for their own wellbeing at a time when women’s stress and burnout is soaring at work… 

“Connections, mindfulness & burnout: Creating connections and leveraging mindfulness to prevent team burnout” is a perfect Electives class to bring to your team.

In this class, participants gain: 

1. A data-based understanding of the challenges women are facing related to overwork, stress, psychological safety and isolation.
2. Knowledge about the immense benefits of connection and how to achieve it.
3. Accessible mindfulness practices (even if they think “meditation is not for me.”)
4. A five-step framework to make it easier to beat burnout, create connections, de-stress and re-engergize.

When your employees are facing overwork and stress, it’s easy for them to avoid making time to manage mental health and wellbeing. Yet, this is when it’s most needed. The very act of coming together to explore the issues and interventions helps!

Did you know…?

• As the global economy enters its third year of pandemic-related disruption, the World Economic Forum projects that, at the current rate of progress, it will take another 132 years (compared to 136 in 2021) to close the gender gap.
• Only one in four U.S. C-suite leaders is a woman, and only one in 20 is a woman of color.
• Globally, the men’s share of time spent in unpaid work as a proportion of total work is 19% compared to 55% for women.
• In the U.S., women (including those working outside the home) put in about 37% more time on housework and caregiving than men.
• Almost 60% of women working in hybrid environments feel they have been excluded from meetings and interactions, and almost half say they do not have enough exposure to company leaders.
• The U.S. Supreme Court’s overturn of Roe v. Wade in 2022 has taken away the constitutional right to seek abortion. The negative repercussions on the reproductive health of women will disproportionately impact Black and Hispanic women.
• Black mothers are 3 times more likely than those who are White to die of pregnancy-related causes.
  

If you want to educate your team about gender equity issues…

“A conversation about gender equity: Making a difference together – a guided conversation on gender equity issues” is the Electives class for you.

Gender equity issues at work and everywhere have re-emerged as priorities in the wake of national and statewide public policy decisions. Many organizations want to provide a safe space for women to explore and process together. This guided discussion nurtures increased understanding and reflection and lets attendees know that, while their leaders can’t solve all of the challenges they are facing, they can offer support, nurture mutual compassion and advance understanding.

In this workshop, participants will:

1. Join in a data-based review of relevant gender issues such as the wage gap, health disparities (including mental and reproductive health), intersecting identities and allyship.
2. Participate in an informed and impactful discussion.
3. Have a chance to share their own stories or questions and hear from others.

In an optional longer version of this workshop, participants:

1. Learn how to hold conversations on sensitive topics.
2. Receive a framework to prepare for courageous conversations.
3. View and critique a live demo.
4. Get a chance to practice their own conversations.

“A conversation about gender equity” can also be customized to address unique issues that might be impacting your organization. This is a timely, fact-based, caring, and thoughtful workshop.‍

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