Leaders Can Support Their Female Workforce

  • San Diego, California, United States

Author:  Colette Carlson

Short Description

The COVID-19 pandemic reshaped the modern workplaces and Female Workforce across the world and the United States. Unfortunately, women were disproportionately impacted sparking the “She-Cession.” According to McKinsey’s Women in the Workplace annual study, one in four women are considering stepping out or stepping back from the workplace which is unprecedented. Now more than ever, management must holistically support, encourage […]

The COVID-19 pandemic reshaped the modern workplaces and Female Workforce across the world and the United States. Unfortunately, women were disproportionately impacted sparking the “She-Cession.” According to McKinsey’s Women in the Workplace annual study, one in four women are considering stepping out or stepping back from the workplace which is unprecedented.

Now more than ever, management must holistically support, encourage and prioritize their female workforce to ensure the progress women have made in the workplace isn’t reversed. To do this, leaders can focus on committing to help their female workforce on a professional, personal and company level.

Professional Commitment

One important theme that affects women in the workplace is the stagnant position many of them hold. Rather than being set up for success and moving up the corporate ladder, women, especially women of color, aren’t advancing professionally compared to their male counterparts. In fact, a recent study shows that for every 100 men promoted to a manager, only 86 women were promoted. To turn this around, leaders can:

  1. Invest in their Success. Key to optimizing and retaining talent demands that you provide professional growth opportunities.  Not only does this help female employees become more proficient and productive at their current job, but it can help them successfully move onto the next step in their career map. As a leader, be aware of each of your female employees’ individual personalities while thinking of ways to upskill together. For example, if they’re more extroverted, have them report out on a project to senior leaders as you guide the way and provide feedback following.
  2. Pave the Way. As a leader, it’s important to recognize your direct role and responsibility goes beyond mentoring to get more women in leadership roles. Yes, friendship, support and empathy are needed, but are you a tactical member of their team? Do you consistently look out for them and seek out opportunities? Do you advocate on their behalf at every turn?

Personal Commitment

A second important aspect that was present before the pandemic, but somewhat less obvious, was the large role that women play at home. In addition to childcare, as previously noted, other factors that forced many women to quit or downsize their careers included the need for workplace flexibility and caregiving responsibilities of elder relatives. To retain females at work to address those specific concerns, leaders should:

  1. Offer hybrid work as an option. Rather than requiring in-person or completely remote workdays, provide a hybrid schedule. This way, your female employees can benefit from in-person connection and collaboration, while having the flexibility to stay home occasionally to alleviate some of the pressure and logistics of paying for childcare or planning who can stay home with their aging parent. As a leader, it’s also important to be proactive about avoiding hybrid work burnout before offering this option.
  2. Help teams set boundaries. Teams collaborating in different time zones translates to emails, texts and calls coming in at all hours of the day. Without leaders helping teams create, honor and model set boundaries, individuals feel constant pressure to check in and be “on” long after the workday ends. Setting up asynchronous systems, combined with encouraging structured timeframes for meetings and deep work goes a long way toward feeling supported and productive.

6 Ways Leaders Can Support Their Female Workforce in 2022

Company Commitment

A third trend that’s causing women to leave the workplace is the amount of “invisible work” they’re doing without recognition, especially around diversity, equity and inclusion. While they may feel satisfied to be working on these important topics, female employees and managers themselves doing a majority of this work are being left exhausted. Only about a quarter of employees say that the extra work they’re doing is formally recognized. To help with this:

  1. Make the work your female employees are doing visible. To acknowledge what they do and help them feel appreciated, get the word out in the company. Highlight and showcase their actions yourself. Also, encourage them to self-promote what they’re doing and how that positively impacts the company. For example, maybe your company is going to be awarded an accolade. Dedicate an internal meeting to have female employees at the forefront of these initiatives explain them and answer any clarifying questions.
  2. Show your appreciation in their paychecks.  Yes, consistent, specific and sincere appreciation and recognition increases the likelihood they’ll continue this work, but why not simply pay people for their additional time and efforts? Furthermore, research shows that women are asked to do more non-promotable workplace tasks than men, so be careful to rotate requests fairly amongst your entire team.

As a leader, it’s important to be realistic about how long implementing some of these changes may take and what resources you’ll need to make them. By having frequent communication, being open to feedback and remaining transparent as to what changes you’re making, your employees can feel reassured too.

Contact Us at WeSpeak Global and follow us on Twitter

Author Profile

The articles, video and images embedded on these pages are from various speakers and talent.

These remain the property of its owner and are not affiliated with or endorsed by WeSpeak Global.

Similar to Leaders Can Support Their Female Workforce

Sara Ross - Help You Thrive

What’s on your resilience resume? For most people in North America, this week marks the first anniversary of the pandemic changing our lives. It started with disbelief, upheaval, and constant change and progressed to the monotony of sameness. Regardless of the phase, there has been a consistent undertone of uncertainty as to what comes next. […]

  • Author: Sara Ross
Ryan Estis

Dayne shared, The Future of the Internet Is Video as I was sitting in the back of the room last week listening to Dayne Williams, the CEO of HR tech company PlanSource, kick off the firm’s Eclipse Conference focused on the empowered consumer and trends in the way we’re embracing video. He shared, The Future of the […]

  • Author: Ryan Estis
Rob Caskie

It is difficult to conceive that 11 months on from National Lock down on 26 March 2020, our tiny business survives and feels strongly that the tide is turning. What a significant time and mighty relief for us, acutely mindful that so many are struggling desperately just to survive. Despite it not being my natural […]

  • Author: Rob Caskie
WS Logo 512

This year I am participating in the One Foot Forward Challenge to raise money for Black Dog Institute. They bring together the strength of a medical research institute and a not-for-profit organisation dedicated to improving the lives of people affected by poor mental health. Their mission is to enable mentally healthier lives through innovations in […]

  • Author: Warwick Merry
WS Logo 512

Until someone creates a way to accurately predict the future and Beyond Disruption, there is no way to prepare your business for every change that will come its way and beyond disruption. Whether it is a pandemic that changes the economic outlook, societal trends that change consumption patterns, or machinery or infrastructure that breaks down, […]

  • Author: Juanita Vorster

How to bounce back after retrenchment or a job loss. Got retrenched? Here’s how to recover and step up One of the most devastating feelings is the realization of the loss of your income. It puts you in an immediate spiral of fear, anxiety, and uncertainty. Retrenchment affects you emotionally and the whole process can […]

  • Author: Lizette Volkwyn
Liezel van der Westhuizen Emcee

When the brand fits, Define: giraffe. A tall, graceful mammal, Giraffa camelopardalis, generally inhabiting the society events, radio airwaves and cycling races of southern Africa. Nudge, nudge, wink wink – YES! Today, you’ll find it at the core of my personal brand identity, following an apt giraffe nickname from journalist and designer Craig Jacobs back in […]

  • Author: Liezel van der Westhuizen
WS Logo 512

I have found that running gives me time to think, running give me time to introspect and running helps me heal so WHY ARE WE RUNNING?. I have embarked on all these journeys over the past 12 years for probably two main reasons. I suppose the first is the selfish side. It’s something I love […]

  • Author: David Grier

Our Mission

We are your partner creating memorable and engaging experiences that go beyond the event itself.

© All rights reserved 2025. Created using VOXEL THEME