How to Create an Empowering Company Culture

Since we’ve made so many strides in women’s rights, we sometimes forget that we still have a long way to go. Even in 2021, women are still underrepresented in political positions and executive positions. Statistics tell us that women are more likely than men to find a sense of satisfaction in the contributions they make at work. A lot of women find that their success in the workplace gives them a sense of identity and purpose. Therefore, it is of the highest importance that the present day workplace empowers both men and women equally.

Create Zero Tolerance Policies:

Companies that want to create a more inclusive environment can start by reviewing their policies. Companies should make sure that they have a zero tolerance policy for sexual harassment and assault. Severely punishing sexual harassment will make the workplace feel much safer for many employees. Creating zero tolerance policies will also encourage victims of workplace harassment to come forward when incidents occur.

Abolish Sexist Dress Codes

A lot of companies have outdated, sexist policies that need to be abolished in order to create a company culture that empowers everyone. Unfortunately, many companies today still enforce sexist dress codes, such as requiring women to wear make-up or high heels, or outline modesty rules specific to women. 

Consider Qualified Female Employees for Promotions

Statistically speaking, women do not seek out leadership positions as often as men do. But that doesn’t mean that women don’t make good leaders or that they don’t want leadership positions. Since women are statistically less likely to ask for promotions, companies need to make sure they’re considering qualified females for leadership positions, even if they haven’t asked. Studies have shown that women are less likely to speak out in a meeting if they are the only woman in the meeting. Having more female leaders will give a voice to many women throughout the company. In order to be a more inclusive company, you need to have more female leaders.

Anonymous Feedback

Anonymous feedback can give executives invaluable insight into their company’s culture. The ability to give management honest feedback without the fear of retaliation can help companies identify key problems in their company culture. Anonymous feedback can also create a safe space for employees to bring up concerns they have without fear of retaliation. Though it is illegal to fire employees for reporting inappropriate behavior, employees are still being fired for reporting sexual harassment or other forms of misconduct.

Take the Next Steps Today

In the past century, we have made such phenomenal progress in pushing women’s rights forward. But we cannot stop yet. Creating a workplace that promotes empowerment for everyone is the next step in the women’s rights movement. As a society, we have a moral obligation to pave the way for future generations. We can take the next steps toward equality by working together to make the workplace a more empowering environment for women. After all, if we want to see more women succeed, we need to make sure women are empowered at home and at work.