Empowering Women in the Workplace

Women in leadership is a rising focus for many workplaces, with many industry insiders pointing out the benefits that female leaders bring.

“Anecdotally speaking, I have seen growing momentum for women in leadership roles,” says Vicki Salemi, a career expert at jobs site Monster. “This needs to continue. It’s not a trend, as that implies it’s seasonal and will fade—it should be here to stay.”

But even though heightened attention is being paid to the topic of women in leadership, there have been bumps in the road to progress.

Women represent roughly 1 in 4 C-suite leaders, and women of color represent just 1 in 16, according to McKinsey’s Women in the Workplace 2024 report. Recent Bureau of Labor Statistics data found that although more women than ever are working, many working women are reporting fewer promotions and salary increases.

Meanwhile, according to the S&P Global Total Market Index, in 2023, the growth in women’s representation among all senior leadership positions in the U.S. dropped to the lowest rate in more than a decade: 0.5% versus 1.2% on average.

The drop in women’s leadership roles “is definitely something we don’t want to see become a trend across multiple years,” says Ella Washington. She is a professor of practice at Georgetown University’s McDonough School of Business and the founder and CEO of Ellavate Solutions, a consulting firm that focuses on inclusion, equity, and diversity.

Read the full article
How Employers Can Increase the Number of Women in Leadership Roles—and Why They Should
SHRM | Sep 2024

5 Ways to Help Women Feel More Included at Work
Overcoming Gender Barriers to Corporate Leadership
Allyship as a Path to Equality
All Things Work Podcast: Leading the Way: Empowering Women in Executive Roles
Memo Template: Women’s History Month
SHRM

International Women's Day
Marked annually on March 8


Empowering Women in the Workplace

Provide financial wellness guidance. A study conducted by WebMD reveals that over 40% of women are dissatisfied with their financial wellness. Concerns like paying off debt (student loans and credit cards) and managing caregiving costs are common sources of worry. Factors like gender pay gaps and taking time off from work for childbearing, child care, and caregiving for aging parents or spouses contribute to financial concerns for women. Providing financial wellness resources on topics such as budgeting, creating an emergency fund, and paying off debt can demonstrate support and care for women who are looking for financial guidance.
Empowering Women by Supporting Their Well-Being at Work
IFEBP | Mar 2025

Employers are more likely to attract women when they prioritize pay equity, conduct regular pay audits, place a high value on transparency, and share with their workforce the steps taken to improve equity in the workplace. Equality in pay includes all forms of compensation, including base salary or wages, overtime, bonuses, benefits, and any other perks or remuneration. If you decide to conduct a pay audit, we recommend you work with counsel so that the results of the audit are protected by the attorney-client privilege.
10 Ways to Empower Women in 2024
Fisher Phillips | Feb 2024

Encourage flexible schedules and remote work options to accommodate the balance of caregiving responsibilities. Consider this for all employees so a culture isn’t cultivated where only mothers or caregivers are exercising flexible schedules, but everyone is for a more balanced approach to their personal and professional spheres.
Empowering Women Leaders
Psychology Today | Nov 2023

Valuing the unique skills and experiences that women leaders bring allows organizations to redefine leadership qualities and embrace diverse perspectives. Broadening access to critical assignments, expanding networking opportunities with senior leaders, and implementing supportive policies and resources for flexible work arrangements can further empower female employees.
Driving Gender Equality and Empowering Women Leaders in the Workplace
Lockton | Nov 2023

Challenges also exist for women working in a hybrid environment. About one-third of women surveyed say they have experienced unpredictable working hours, and similar numbers say they don’t have enough flexibility in their working pattern and/or are expected to go into the workplace despite messaging that says otherwise. These are all significant increases since 2022, indicating that many organizations may be giving muddled messages about hybrid work.
Empowering women at work
Deloitte | Apr 2023

Women in Leadership Roles

What does it mean to have a seat at the table? It means having the same opportunities to be heard, considered, and respected as everyone else in the room. Though this may seem intuitive, women are often, or often feel, as if they are spoken over and their ideas are disregarded. Giving them a seat at the table simply allows them the chance to be an authoritative voice in the room and to feel as if their opinions and skills are valued there.
Breaking the Glass Ceiling: Empowering Women to Pursue Leadership Roles
LHH | Mar 2024

Retaining & Developing Women Leaders: 5 Steps for Success
Center for Creative Leadership | Feb 2024

Related Reading

Technology and Pay Equity: Making the Right Choices for Optimal Results
SHRM | Feb 2024

Viewpoint: Striving to Achieve Gender Equity in the Workplace
SHRM | Sep 2023

Related SHRM Express Request

Managing Pay Equity

Pay Transparency

SHRM Ask An Advisor

Get expert help on a wide range of HR topics. Access experienced, certified HR Knowledge Advisors by phone, chat & email

Connect with An Advisor now: https://www.shrm.org/hrhelp