International Women’s Day
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Learn how employers can use International Women’s Day to celebrate women in the workplace and promote women’s physical and mental health and wellbeing at work.
The value of supporting International Women’s Day at work
International Women’s Day (IDW) gives workplaces an opportunity to celebrate female employees and start conversations about women’s health and wellbeing.
A positive workplace that encourages complete gender equality and helps employees stay healthy, happy and motivated has many benefits for both employees and employers.
Benefits include:
- Increased employee engagement and retention
- More women in leadership roles
- Strengthened brand reputation
Find out more about equality, diversity and inclusion at work.
Get involved in International Women’s Day at work
There are many ways your workplace can celebrate International Women’s Day.
Here are some things you could do:
Celebrate success
Share success stories from women who work across your organisation to inspire others.
It’s also a great opportunity to promote learning or mentorship opportunities.
Hold a talk or ‘lunch and learn’ sessions
Invite an expert to talk to employees about women’s health. It’s a great opportunity for employees to ask any questions they might have too.
You could also invite local women-focussed charities to talk about the work they do.
Spread awareness and encourage conversations
Use employee communication channels to share information and advice about women’s health and wellbeing.
Set up ways for employees to talk about their health in confidence. These could include:
- Informal peer support groups
- Wellbeing check-ins
- Dedicated quiet areas
Review policies
Take the opportunity to review your equality, diversity and inclusion and pay review policies.
You could also hold sessions with employees to make sure they understand your policies and are able to feed into future updates.
Importance of International Women’s Day
International Women’s Day isn’t just about one moment in time but about the longevity in taking small steps towards removing gender bias. From employees to customers and clients, everyone wants to see your business make a genuine commitment to gender equity.
As an employer you should:
- Recognise gender disparity as an ongoing issue
- Demonstrate your organisation’s commitment so far
- Promote your planned commitments over the next year
Promoting women’s health at work throughout the year
Being proactive and supporting women’s health and wellbeing throughout the year can have a positive impact on your workplace.
Here are some things you can do in your workplace:
Encourage check-ups
Encourage female employees to have regular check-ups, including monitoring blood pressure and cholesterol.
Promote screening services and allow employees time to attend check-up appointments.
Promote healthy behaviours
Promoting healthy habits can support employees in making better lifestyle choices. This could include:
Offer menopause support
Supporting menopausal employees isn’t just the right thing to do – it’s important for staying legally compliant and creating a successful, thriving workplace.
Find out more about menopause support in the workplace.
Find out more
To find out how your workplace can get involved and get resources you can use, visit the IWD website.
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