In a generation of girl bosses who are running up the corporate ladder, companies are finally catching up.
The value women bring to the workforce is undeniable, and companies who recognise this know just how important it is to makes sure these employees feel happy and safe. However, for many women, finding that perfect work-life balance is still far out of reach. While they are masters at multi-tasking„ they could definitely use a boost to feel fully empowered in the workplace.
Here are some key things that companies are doing to empower their female employees, and what you should look out for when pursuing a new role:
1. Taking an equity first approach
Equitable companies are addressing the unique needs women have rather than simply painting an ‘equality’ brush over their entire workforce. Gender equity addresses the differences between men and women while acknowledging gender bias and the unique challenges women face, particularly when it comes to motherhood. According to the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), there first needs to be strategies and measures in place that “compensate for women’s historical and social disadvantages” before equality can be achieved. Equity can be achieved on a policy level with companies enforcing rules such as zero tolerance for gender-based harassment and having legal processes in place to protect female employees.
2. Closing the gender pay gap
By closing the pay gap, women are able to level up in both their work and their personal lives. It’s been proven that women who earn an equal wage to men are able to lift themselves out of poverty, are less likely to experience abuse and are able to better advocate for other women. Historically, the gender pay gap between men and women has been one of the biggest hurdles for working women to overcome. It also doesn’t help that office culture actively discourages people from discussing salaries, making it even harder for someone to gauge whether or not they are being paid fairly. But in spite of this, progress is definitely being made, with the World Economic Forum’s Global Gender Gap Report 2024 showing that the gap is now 68.5% closed across 146 countries.
3. Letting the ladies lead
Despite the age-old stereotype that women can’t lead because of their emotions, experts would beg to differ. In a podcast episode of ‘Speaking of Psychology’, Dr Alice Eagly, a gender psychology expert from Northwestern University in the US, stated that women leaders are generally more collaborative, relationship-focused and “less about giving orders”. She went on to point out that women usually lead with a more positive, reward-based approach in comparison to men. For companies who promote their female employees, there has been a massive turnaround in productivity and overall job satisfaction. Allowing women into leadership is also incredible for representation, setting a good precedent for future employees and investors.
4. Providing resources and flexibility
In a Stellenbosch University study on women in academia, researchers found that resources — be they mentorship programmes, workshops or access to courses — are highly beneficial. This benefits women both professionally and personally as it boosts morale, increases job satisfaction and fosters personal growth. For the working woman, time truly can be just as important (if not more so) than money. This means that flexibility is often valued as much as salary when seeking a new job. Flexibility means different things to different women, but can include flexible office hours, a hybrid or work-from-home working model, maternity leave with full salary, and the option to take period leave. A 2023 survey by the International Workplace Group emphasised just how vital flexibility is to women’s success, and that offering women flexibility in the workplace improves their overall performance, achieves equity and boosts their ability to reach leadership positions.
What about South African working women?
► South African women are currently 10.6% less active in the labour force than men, but this is not for lack of trying. In fact, this percentage has increased over 4% the last 10 years. In one of the largest independent surveys on working women in South Africa, it was found that 98% of women want to work, with 78% saying that they aspire to grow their careers.
► Women are outpacing men in in the education space, with 52% of South Africans with tertiary education being women.
► Self-employed women are on the rise, with the number of self-employed women without any employees having gone up by 1.3% from 2014 to 2024. The share of women (female business owners) who do employ 20 or more people grew slightly by 0.8%, whereas it dropped by 0.3% for men by the end of 2024.
► Women are still not being considered often enough for senior positions. In 2024, women only made up 15% of executives in all JSE-listed companies. So, while there has been improvement, we still have a long way to go.
Words by: Tamia Retief
Photography by: Gallo/Getty Images
Text courtesy of Club magazine
