5 ways HR can support women in the workplace

Women have come a long way in fighting for their rights in the workplace. This is especially true in the Philippines; According to Ma. Aurora “Boots” D. Geotina-Garcia, co-chair of the Philippine Business Coalition for Women Empowerment (PBCWE), the country has closed its gender gap in senior roles and in professional and technical roles, which is ​​an important milestone for the private sector. N26’s 2021 Female Opportunity Index also showed that the Philippines placed 37th out of 100 countries in terms of women in management roles.

While these insights are commendable, discrimination against women persists in many organizations. For instance, one in six Filipino women are still asked about their family plans, such as bearing children, during their job interviews. Female employees also earn PHP5,000 less than their male counterparts.

This begs the question: what can companies do to combat discrimination against women? This is where human resources come into play. Below are some ways HR leaders can support women in the workplace and encourage gender equality in their organization today.

Offer flexible work arrangements

Women, especially mothers, were seen taking on heavier workloads during the COVID-19 pandemic. In fact, in 2020, mothers were 1.5 times more likely than fathers to spend more than three hours a day on housework and childcare, hindering them from fulfilling their jobs. Additionally, only 44% of mothers think they are splitting household labour equally with their partners.

To help alleviate some stress off their shoulders, consider giving employees flexible work hours so that they are not pressured by time constraints to fulfil their responsibilities. Additionally, consider making remote or hybrid work arrangements to help employees, especially mothers, save on costs and care for their families while still allowing them to become proactive and dedicated workers.

Encourage an open-door policy

It goes without saying that communication is crucial in every workplace. In order to gauge what your female employees need, promote an open-door policy where they can share their feedback and suggestions on making the workplace safe for them. You can do this in different ways, such as conducting organization-wide surveys, scheduling one-on-one or town hall meetings, or setting exit interviews. The important thing here is that you seek feedback before implementing any programs that may do more harm than good.

Improve healthcare and wellness benefits

Men and women scientifically have many physical and mental differences, with women having to deal with more problems such as hormonal imbalances, menstruation, and more. It’s for this reason that HR leaders should consider arranging specific health-related benefits for women such as health coverage and memberships at wellness centers like gyms and meditation classes.

For mothers who have to work on-site but have no means for a babysitter, consider opening a daycare center at your workplace as well. In this way, they can pay attention to their children while attending to their work responsibilities.

Create employee resources groups

Employee resource groups allow employees with shared interests to support one another in the workplace. Not only do ERGs foster inclusivity, but they also promote equality and help management develop personal and career development opportunities that are specific for them. HR leaders should then encourage their female employees to create an ERG so that they can collectively identify the challenges they experience in the workplace, develop recommended organizational changes, and bring them up to management.

Eliminate gender bias

In most cases, women are victims of gender bias in the workplace; They’re still expected to adhere to gender norms against their will, act inferior to their male colleagues, wear uncomfortable clothes, and more. Rather than make them adjust to largely patriarchal behaviors, HR leaders should educate other employees to take the well-being of their female colleagues into consideration. They can organize gender equality training sessions, create policies against gender-biased behaviors, and encourage executives to promote women empowerment and gender equality.

Even better, HR leaders can encourage executives to eliminate pay disparities between men and women, especially if there are female employees who are just as, if not more, competent as their male counterparts.

Overall, it’s important for HR leaders to recognize gender disparities in their workplace to ensure that female employees are safe and comfortable while fulfilling their personal and work responsibilities. As we celebrate Women's History Month this year, may organizations continue to aim for gender equality and create safe spaces for their employees.