International Women’s Day 2022
International Women’s Day promotes showcasing commitment to women’s equality and celebrating women’s achievements whilst raising awareness and highlighting how far we’ve come, and how much more can be done.
The theme for this year’s International Women’s Day is Break The Bias.
Whether deliberate or unconscious, bias makes it difficult for women to move ahead. Knowing that bias exists isn’t enough, action is needed to level the playing field.
Gender inequality still very much exists, and the needs for the workplace to be flexible is in demand more than ever.
CIPD states; “The gender pay gap in the UK stands at 17.3%, the reasons for the gap being complex and interrelated, including economic, cultural, societal and educational factors:
A lack of flexible working options
Women being the main providers of unpaid caring responsibilities
Occupational segregation
The undervaluing of women’s work
Pay discrimination.’”
When researching into gender inequality, ‘flexibility’ stands out as a keyword in helping to ‘close the gap’. Flexible working is seen as something to help women, and men, achieve their professional goals whilst also managing the likes of child care, and helps to create a culture where people feel comfortable and confident.
Sarah, Team Manager at MorePeople talks us through her achievements whilst being part of the MorePeople team;
“At MorePeople I’m lucky enough to work alongside 7 women who share my enthusiasm for the recruitment industry. We get to bounce ideas off each other and support each other in our own career journeys.
Personally, I’ve had some great achievements whilst being at MorePeople. In my first full year of recruitment, I won two of our three annual awards, with the third going to my colleague Luan. Over the course of three years, I’ve had two promotions and currently get to manage Ben, who’s recently new to the recruitment scene.
I’m an active member of the YPHA, who was set up by two passionate women (and an equally passionate man). I get to support in the upkeep of social media, blogs and job boards whilst other members of the group work on face-to-face events and bring us together. Between Nat, Mollie and Liam they have managed to bring over 180 passionate individuals together and I’m so excited to be a part of it.”
The women of MorePeople have thought about this year’s IWD theme and the questioned;
Imagine a gender equal world. What does a world free of bias, stereotypes and discrimination mean for you?
In a world where we can be who we want to be and follow our dreams. It is everyone’s responsibility to play a role in creating and maintaining a culture where women feel confident to be themselves. As for achievement here at MorePeople, I have been biggest biller 7 times during my time here– Girl Power !
Favourite quote:
"If you want something said, ask a man. If you want something done, ask a woman.” – Margaret Thatcher
Luan – Associate Director
A world where women don’t have to worry what they wear, they don’t have to share their taxi drivers details ‘just-in-case’ and they don’t feel they lack authority or confidence in the workplace.
It's not up to one leader in an organisation to ensure equality within the workforce, we all need to educate ourselves on the words we use, how we treat people and the way we make decisions. Knowledge is power, and education is key. Have the uncomfortable conversations, support one another and speak up when needed.
Natalie – Marketing Manager
For me, a gender equal world would mean that the gap between male and female ‘big bosses’ is drastically reduced (there is currently only 8 women CEOs in the top 100 UK companies). It would be a world where we can walk home alone feeling safe, without worrying about what we’re wearing or having something to defend ourselves with, just in case. It would be a world where women don’t need to worry about their careers after maternity leave, or whether we can have careers and be mothers.
Not something that is going to chance instantly, but with continued education, awareness and constant conversations it will begin to happen.
Sarah – Team Manager
A world where women do not have to justify their choices or decisions just because ‘they’re a woman’.
Natalie – Consultant
A place where we don’t have to stress over the small things. A world where women don’t read over their emails twice to see if they sound too friendly or worry if being too nice to someone comes off as flirtatious. Society has created a stereotype where women are bossy, but men are assertive, when men are passionate, we are emotional.
If we all start small and are conscious of the little things, big changes can happen. Equality isn’t a monumental concept; we can get there with conversations and education.
Rae - Consultant
Invisible Women: Exposing data bias in a world designed for men (Chatto & Windus, 2019). I have read this book multiple times, a gender unbiased world is a world where statistics like these don't exist:
71% of women wear protective work clothing that isn't designed for women's bodies.
British men enjoy five hours more leisure time per week than women.
Husbands create an extra seven hours of housework a week for women.
The average smartphone is 5.5 inches too big for the average woman's hand.
Current offices are on average 5 degrees too cold for women.
Tor - Consultant
Collectively, we can all #BreakTheBias.
#IWD2022
https://www.internationalwomensday.com
https://www.cipd.co.uk/news-views/viewpoint/gender-equality-work
