A SEAT AT THE TABLE: Women Empowerment in the Workplace

The season of love has passed and love no longer swirls in the air. It’s March, a month widely recognized in the Philippines as “Women’s Month,” a time to honor and appreciate the significant contributions of women all throughout history. The celebration aims to raise awareness about women’s struggle for gender equality and human rights. Celebrating Women’s Month gives companies the opportunity to reflect on how they can further empower their female employees and determine what steps they can take to improve their culture and the overall experience of women in the workplace.?

While the number of women in senior leadership positions has increased in the last decade, women are still underrepresented at every level in the global workplace, from the office industry like BPO and virtual assistants to the healthcare and medicine industry.? According to recent studies, for every 100 men promoted or hired into a management role, only 72 women are accepted or even given the job opportunity. Despite the incredible efforts and contributions women have made in the workplace, there is still a long way to go. Each one of us has an important role to play in empowering and supporting women in the workplace. Whether you're a manager, a fellow employee, a man, a woman, or a member of the LGBTQIA+ community, we can all do our part. Here’s what we can do:

1. Offer women a seat at the table

For so long, we believed in the stereotype that taking the lead is primarily a man’s thing and that women have no place at the table just because they are not strong or formidable enough to lead other people. It is time to break this stigma. We have to give women the same opportunities we give to male employees—a seat at the table, a chance for women to showcase their skills, achieve the extraordinary, and lead the team. Include women in meetings and let their skill sets complement the tasks at hand.

2. Encourage women to speak up, set clear expectations, and provide feedback

We have to encourage them to use their voice and express their ideas. Consequently, we have to listen and be attentive to what they have to say, actively considering their opinions and accepting it as a solution, especially when the ideas they present are well thought out. This will give way to employers being able to provide positive feedback, establish good rapport with the rest of the team, and ultimately help women feel more confident in the workplace.

3. Prevent sexual harassment

This is the most important point in empowering women in the workplace, and any other place in the world. Systemic patriarchy persists to this day because women are seen as weak and undervalued. In some workplaces around the world, women don’t want to speak out for fear of being harassed by their colleagues. In this regard, nothing is more important than the safety of the people within our organization, especially women. Enforce a strong sexual harassment policy that discourages inappropriate sexual behavior and sexual misconduct in our workplace. Failure to abide by this policy should result in strict disciplinary action.

4. Offer a better work-life balance

We celebrate women because, despite what the world tells us, they are more than just “feminine”. A woman is a mother, wife, daughter, sister, and like any other man in our industry, a working professional. On a daily basis, these are only some of the roles that a woman takes on. Introduce policies that allow women to achieve work-life balance while working. Advocate for flex factors like flexible schedules and hybrid work arrangements. We can also provide family-friendly benefits like maternity leave policies, health benefits, and child care stipends for mothers. You only have to remind them of the importance of communicating their availability and schedule.

5. Close the gender pay gap

The gender pay gap is prevalent in all industries around the world. Statistically, women only earn an average of 82% of what men earn. The gap is even greater for women of color or other ethnicities. As an advocate for women’s empowerment, you can help close the pay gap by ensuring raises and salaries that are determined equitably. Raise the issue with HR if adjustments should be made to standardize the pay structure to make the pay rate fair regardless of gender. This also shows how pay transparency can be important in future work environments, as it holds companies accountable to reward employees based on merit alone.?

Despite being sidelined by a patriarchal society all throughout history, women all over the world continue to fight for equality and inclusivity in all facets of modern society. Starting this year until 2028, the theme for Women’s Month? is “WE for gender equality and inclusive society”. And the workplace is a major part of a female working professional’s life. Medspecialized aims to live by and embody this tenet by advocating for equality and women’s empowerment in the workplace, so that we may be able to take away some of the burden that women have to carry in their day-to-day lives. Furthermore, we can help them become more confident and comfortable sharing their wonderful ideas, take on bigger and better opportunities, and show the world that sometimes the best man for the job is a woman.