Women At Work: What is a Female-Friendly Company?

While there have been considerable advancements for women in the workplace over the past few decades, there is still room for significant improvement when it comes to creating female-friendly companies. Women are fully capable of becoming powerhouse players at their jobs, yet systemic obstacles still hinder their progress. 

As the need for innovation and forward-thinking solutions continue to evolve, many companies also face increased demand for diversity, equity, and inclusion in the workplace. Commonly referred to as diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), conversations surrounding the importance of these values have prompted business owners to step back and reevaluate their current practices. 

Ask yourself, does your company provide an inclusive and comfortable environment for women? If you are considering how to make your workplace more female-friendly, you’re already heading in the right direction. Here are our top tips for harnessing the power of DEI and ensuring your company is truly female-friendly. 

The Power of DEI

In today’s current landscape, feigning ignorance when it comes to social injustice and inequity is unacceptable. In order to compete in a competitive global market, businesses can’t afford to stand idly by while the needs of their employees and consumers continue to evolve. 

It is expected that as issues arise in the workplace, effective solutions are found and implemented to ensure productivity and success. Savvy companies operate from a proactive stance, not reactive. Not only is a proactive business strategy appealing to consumers, but it is also equally attractive to current and potential employees.

Companies that incorporate DEI programs experience greater success than those that do not. Members of the Forbes Human Resources Council have identified 15 key benefits of DEI that hold substantial value in the workplace. Not only does DEI build a diverse network of ideas and background experiences that drive innovation and excellence, but it also fosters deeper connections, a greater sense of community, and a culture of respect. The benefits of adopting DEI programs in the workplace can give you a competitive advantage, providing your company with increased credibility, loyalty, and an informed broader perspective.

What Does a Female-Friendly Company Look Like?

For so long, women have tirelessly battled disparities due to their gender, whether it be unequal pay, sexual harassment, or lack of female representation in leadership positions. Thankfully, it doesn’t have to stay that way. Here are a few ways innovative and forward-thinking companies meet the needs and interests of their female employees:

1. They prioritize opportunities for the professional development and representation of women. This includes outlining clear paths for promotion. The path to success must not be paved differently based on gender. Harvard Business Review points out the necessity to celebrate managers who consistently onboard and promote diverse talent. Think to yourself, how many companies' target market are women? And how many women are employed in those companies? Representation is key. 

2. They provide flexibility. More often than not, working mothers are expected to juggle the ever-changing needs between work and home. One major way to diminish gender inequality in the workplace is to offer flexible work schedules so women can meet the demands on both fronts.

3. They prioritize equal pay. Companies who are transparent about their pay schedule, as well as their efforts to prioritize equal pay, have the ability to position themselves as a desirable workplace compared to competitors who don’t. 

4. They redesign their hiring and onboarding practices. Companies like Zoom Video Communications completely overhauled their recruitment and hiring practices in order to diversify their company. Nothing was off limits. Most importantly, they revised their job descriptions so that the language is now more inclusive and representative of their values for diversity, which in turn decreased bias and increased female applications and hires. 

In the Interest of Women

Nela Richardson, chief economist at ADP, recently reported on the staggering paradigm shift in employees' expectations of their work environment since the onset of COVID-19. Employees are now citing a stronger interest in their companies’ ethics and values, prioritizing their overall well-being, and finding a better work-life balance. Smart entrepreneurs who have recognized this shift in their employees’ perceptions and priorities are rising to the challenge. 

Going along with the status quo doesn’t increase profitability or help your company soar to new heights. So what can YOU do? As you move forward in your pursuit to create a more female-friendly company, remind yourself that progress takes time. While you may not be able to change your workplace culture overnight, you CAN do the following:

1. Identify strengths and weaknesses. This step is crucial in order to move forward. You can’t expect to make improvements to the culture of your work environment when you don’t know what isn’t working well, to begin with. 

2. Elicit feedback from your female employees. If your main objective is to promote a more female-friendly workplace, it only makes sense to give your female employees the opportunity to lead the charge. 

3. Be receptive. Any feedback you receive during this process is valuable. The more insight you have into the needs of your employees, the better!

4. Develop a clear action plan. Each company’s action plan will look different. Use this as an opportunity to truly break down your overall goal into smaller actionable steps. We highly recommend developing SMART goals. 

5. Update your core values and mission statement. Ensure they reflect the values of diversity, equity, and inclusion. These values ought to be visible and consistent across all touchpoints of your company. It’s one thing to talk about these values and a completely different thing to weave them into every fiber of your business. 

6. Routinely check in and follow up. All of your hard work will not pay off unless you routinely check in with your staff. Follow up with your female employees and consumers. Are things working as intended? Do we need to pivot? How can we continue to improve our policies and protocols?

Are you looking to evolve your content strategy to be inclusive and female-friendly? We’re here to help. Schedule a free consultation with the Comma Copywriters team and we’ll guide you on your path to success!