Supporting women in the workplace: key strategies for small business owners

As small business owners, creating a supportive and inclusive workplace for women is not just about meeting legal obligations—it’s about fostering a culture where all employees can thrive. With the theme of this year’s International Women’s Day being ‘Inspire Inclusion’, it urges businesses to value women’s participation and empowerment in order to create a stronger work environment for everyone.

WORK180’s recent What Women Want report highlighted the top six things women want at work, offering valuable insights that can help small businesses better support their female employees.

Here are the key takeaways from the report about what women want at work, along with our strategies to implement them effectively:

1. Pay Parity and Transparency

The survey’s participants ranked equal pay and transparency in salary decisions as key values at work. Small businesses can address this by conducting regular pay audits to ensure fairness and openness in their compensation practices.

Beyond the WORK180 findings, other studies show that companies with transparent pay policies are more likely to attract and retain top female talent, leading to better overall performance.

2. Work/Life Balance Support

Achieving a balance between work and personal life is crucial for women, with the report showing remote working options, flexibility to manage their lives beyond parenting, clear and consistent policies, and normalisation for those using flexible working were among the top priorities in this area.

Small businesses can support this by offering flexible working arrangements, utilising tools like Zoom and shared digital documents and servers, as well as creating policies around flexible hours, and encouraging employees to take advantage of them.

Wider research indicates that employees who are offered flexible work options are more productive and engaged, leading to better outcomes across all aspects of business.

3. Advancement opportunities and support for women in leadership

Another big wish list item for women is to have equal access to opportunities for advancement in their careers, as well as support in reaching leadership roles. Small business owners can support this by implementing mentorship programs, providing leadership training, and actively promoting women into leadership positions.

And with research showing men are much quicker than women to put their hand up for promotions or opportunities, it’s important for leaders to be in tune with their teams and encourage women to apply for advancements when they’re well-placed to thrive.

Because the data doesn’t lie: it’s proven that companies with diverse leadership teams are more innovative and better able to adapt to changing market conditions, giving them a competitive edge.

Strategies for small businesses to support women at work

When we’re surrounded by so many women-owned businesses, both in Mudgee and beyond, there’s more opportunities than ever to help women find flourishing, sustainable career paths. But it’s not just up to women to solve the problems they face at work.

In order for businesses everywhere to thrive, owners and managers need to be proactive in implementing effective strategies. Some actionable examples include:

1. Conducting regular pay audits to ensure fair and transparent salary practices, and staying across pay expectations in different roles and industries, so you can financially show your value for women at work.
2. Offering flexible working arrangements to support work/life balance – for example, having set hours where everyone is in office or online, then allowing staff to work earlier/later depending on what suits them best. Be creative and work with your team to see what fits.
3. Implementing mentorship programs and leadership training to support women in advancing their careers. As a business that’s led by two female directors, we see this as an essential way women can help each other grow and find guidance when exploring new paths or taking next steps.
4. Create a supportive workplace culture that values diversity and inclusion, which involves going beyond the IWD gestures by providing paid inclusion training for staff and leading by example.
5. Provide resources and support for women returning to work after maternity leave or other extended breaks, helping to remove the stigma of flexible hours and advocate for primary carers as they return to work.
6. Encourage male employees to take an active role in supporting gender equality in the workplace, with everything from peer-to-peer mentoring and training, to offering parental leave that mutually benefits working parents.

By implementing these strategies, small businesses can create a workplace that not only supports women but also benefits from their unique perspectives and contributions – taking one step closer to an equal workforce for women.