5 Ways Female Executives can Avoid Bias, Advocate for Workplace Gender Equality
ACI President Erin Krehbiel is a regular contributor to Employee Benefit Advisor. See Krehbiel’s recent article below, originally published on Employee Benefit Advisor.
Editor’s Note: This article was updated on April 4, 2017.
Last week, I dropped off my two children at their respective schools. It was not unlike any other morning: I am in a suit, makeup and jewelry – possibly a bit more flare due to a stakeholders meeting at 9 AM – but nonetheless, I get the “question.” If you are a female executive with children, I am sure you know what is coming: “How do you do it? You always look so nice and put together.” Well sister, the answer is simple: you just do it. You try and get enough sleep to get up and ready on time; you organize everything from sports equipment, gym bags, lunches and homework the night before so that the morning routine is as seamless as possible. Most days it works and some days it doesn’t.
I’m the mom who shows up to the soccer game in heels and then runs to a meeting with a potential client. I’m the boss who makes a conscious commitment to leave the office early to prepare and eat dinner with my family. I’m the single parent that cherishes the quality time with my children AND the work I do every day. I don’t have days off from my life and my kids don’t give me sick days. In other words, I’m a modern female executive with multiple responsibilities.
It’s harder for women to get ahead in business. Women make less money than men in the same jobs and occupy far fewer positions of power. Women face discrimination and harassment in greater numbers, and are held to higher expectations for child-rearing, housekeeping, and care-taking alongside their careers.
The Center for American Progress found that only 65.5% of families with children in 2015 had married parents, while 26.4% were led by single mothers. Unsurprisingly, the analysis found that 42% of mothers were the primary or sole breadwinners for their family that year. While women’s role as breadwinner continues to rise, the gender pay gap persists. When looking at full-time, year-round employees, the Census Bureau found that women only earned 80% of what their male counterparts earned in 2015. But we can do something about it. To combat stereotypes and trends, here are 5 things female executives should know to avoid bias and advocate for gender equality in the workplace:
1. The Art of Saying No: Women are always being asked to do more, “work their magic,” pitch in with side projects, training, and last-minute requests, both personally and professionally. Steer clear of the over-commitment trap, and be deliberate about to whom, when and where to give your time.
Read more on The Seattle Times: Learning to say no as a woman in the workplace
2. The Power Seat: I came across a blog post about where you sit at a meeting and how it affects the room/team, etc. Unconsciously, I have been using the tips for years, but the explanation was fascinating. Since I tend to come off as a decision maker in control, I have learned that sitting within the group vs. at the head of the table is a great tool to avoid “witch” distinction.
Read more on Psychology Today: The power seat – where you sit matters
3. Join the Cause: Women must share their voices and join “the cause” by engaging with organizations like the National Association for Female Executives (NAFE), which provides education, networking, and public advocacy for the advancement of women in business. Being part of the solution matters!
Learn more on NAFE: http://www.nafe.com/
4. Work Together: The absolutely most embarrassing thing about women in business is that we have a terrible reputation of not helping each other up. Men have done a tremendous job joining together and taking control. That might explain the divide in top corporations where females occupy only 4.2% of CEO positions.
Read more on Fortune: Sallie Krawcheck Explains Why Women Don’t Help Other Women
5. Embrace Change: Get comfortable being uncomfortable. As women we need to overcome perfectionist tendencies and be more open to rapid change and taking risks. I have practiced this skill for years and it has benefitted me both personally and professionally. I now feel excitement build when a large opportunity rears its head.
Read more on Forbes: The #1 reason women don’t get promoted at work