Aaah, the workplace. Love it or hate it, there are those times when you feel completely emotionally exhausted as a result of being in the office. Are we really still having to listen to men say the exact same thing as we just said – but a little bit louder – and getting the recognition for it just because of their genetics? Sometimes, the male dominated office is enough to push us all over the edge. However, the good news is that you can lift other women up in your workplace, and bring more women on board, too. Here’s how you can do it, and say goodbye to the office masculinity-fest once and for all.
Call out sexism
Unfortunately, sexism still exists in the workplace. Men still make snide jokes about women and what they can bring to the table, and there are many cases of women being touched inappropriately by the opposite sex. Whether you’re a man or a woman, you need to do your bit to call out sexism when you see it at work. The more people are allowed to get away with it, the worse it will get, and your office will be a cesspit for misogyny and other means of discrimination. You’ll probably find that once you speak out about it, other women will feel like they can do the same, too. Someone has to make that first step by calling someone out!
Report issues to senior management
A lot of us see sexism in the workplace, and feel uncomfortable about it, and we may even say something. But if the person in question is repeatedly offending when it comes to being sexist towards the women in the office, it’s a good idea to take it to senior management. Again, a lot of men think that they can get away with pretty much anything when it concerns women, but a formal warning – and your boss being aware that this person is acting inappropriately – should be enough to stop any untoward behavior. Whilst you may think that this is a step too far, it’s not. You deserve to be free from creeps at the office!
Praise the women around you for doing great
Too often, the work of women is overlooked, even when it’s better than what the men are coming out with. As a result, a lot of women miss out on the praise that they deserve, which is totally unfair, and can make some women feel like they haven’t actually achieved anything. Has one of your girls achieved something great in the office, like a promotion? Or perhaps they’ve finally secured that singer and model interview that they’ve always wanted? Now is the time to praise them for working so hard and achieving so much, rather than playing these things down. Recognition is one of the best things that you can give to the women around you.
Encourage women to go for higher roles
A lot of the time, women don’t go for higher roles in the workplace because they believe that they’re not good enough to get them. In fact, the stats are pretty shocking, and suggest that a lot of women only think that they’re cut out for being leaders of the household. Pretty sad, right? Because of a lack of confidence, support, and opportunities, a lot of women don’t even apply for those higher roles. But maybe, if we told each other that we can achieve anything (and supported each other in the process), then a lot more women would go forward and try their best to achieve the job roles that they’ve always wanted? Encourage your girls!
Hire more women
If it’s in your control, then another great idea is to hire more women. Whilst plenty of people don’t believe in positive discrimination, there are many arguments in favor of it. After all, if women don’t feel like they can do the job properly, and are more likely to apply with higher levels of qualifications than the men, then why not seek out those women who have a lot to offer to your business? Your hiring process shouldn’t be something that is based upon only hiring women, but it should be a time for you to look for strong women that could be assets to your company. Think about this thoroughly before you hire.
So, if you want to lift other women up in the workplace, then remember some of these simple tips, and you should be on the road to having strong women all around you!
