Staci Hegarty (she/her), M.Ed.

Before COVID-19, US women were already experiencing a significant gap in pay when compared with their male counterparts. On average, women earn 81.6 cents for every dollar that men earn, with median average earnings coming in at $9,766 less than men. March 31, 2020, marked the day that women earned what men earned in 2019. For women of color the numbers are more disheartening when compared with white men. Black women earn 62 cents for every dollar, Native women earn 57 cents and Latina women earn 54 cents.

Now, nearly six months into a global pandemic that forced the lucky ones to work at home and brought record-level unemployment to the rest, the inequity in women’s pay has become more obvious. Women fill more “essential” jobs than men, yet they also take on the majority of child-related jobs in the home. With daycares and schools not returning to normal operations, many women have had no choice but to leave their jobs. Even women who work from home have found that balancing work and family responsibilities has become even more challenging than before COVID-19.

As businesses begin to reopen, organizations need to take quick action to ensure that the women in their workforces are not left behind. Instead of seeing the reopening of some businesses as a chance to “get back to normal,” this is the time to acknowledge that the old way of operating was not working very well for half of employees. Not only do women need to be involved in how businesses resume operations, but they need to have the ability to raise concerns and work toward creative solutions to bring more gender equity to the workplace.

When organizations include all voices in the decision-making process, new ideas are brought forth. Innovative ways of working benefit not only the workers but also the company. With less turnover and an engaged workforce, energy and resources can be spent on the goals of the organization instead of trying to fix the problems brought on by doing things the way they have always been done.

Sources:
https://www.businessinsider.com/gender-wage-pay-gap-charts-2017-3
https://www.npr.org/2020/06/28/883458147/how-coronavirus-could-widen-the-gender-wage-gap
https://unglobalcompact.org/academy/how-business-can-support-women-in-times-of-crisis

Protests and vigils have been on-going in the US for nearly two months. Debates over use-of-force by police, systemic racism, and the inequitable treatment of Black Americans at school, work and within our communities have dominated the national news cycle. By June, social media accounts of businesses of all sizes highlighted their mission and values, nearly always with a focus on supporting a culture of non-discrimination. But what happens after June and moving forward? When organizations ask the question, “Have we started the real work of anti-racism and anti-discrimination?” In general, the answer appears to be “not really.”

At the root of much of the inaction is fear. Fear of doing or saying the wrong thing. Fear of losing customers. Fear of not knowing where to begin. Fear of trying to change and still failing to create a diverse workforce. Fear of the unknown. Fear of change.

The small steps are the starting point. In order to truly create an inclusive workplace, an investment must be made in making diversity, equity, and belonging engrained in every part of the enterprise. Seek resources to help your organization move forward without feeling overwhelmed. Here are a few resources for improving your support for equality as a leader, closing the disability inclusion gap, and what it looks like to lead an anti-racist organization. For most companies, non-discrimination policies are based on employment law which differ from state to state.

Budgeting for training and full-time leadership roles that focus solely on creating an equitable culture is one key to success. It is more than “sensitivity training” once a year for a couple of hours; it is a full immersion in the language and behaviors that lead to a workplace that values all employees and encourages them to each bring their whole selves to work each day.

Keep an eye out for more OCM focused content as IpX unveils its RISE platform dedicated to Respect, Inclusion, Service and Equity in the workforce.