Women employees and leaders have achieved significant success in the corporate sector like many other spheres of life. Most organizations attach considerable importance to celebrating Women’s Day on March 8th each year as a tribute to the efforts, struggles, achievements, and successes of their women employees.
Over the past several decades, women have increasingly become an integral part of the workforce of most organizations leading to greater diversity. Even in industries, which have traditionally been considered a man’s forte, women having attained considerable success.
Studies show that organizations that have women leaders tend to demonstrate higher growth and profitability. Many organizations have found women to be better administrators and leaders as compared to their male counterparts.
Despite the growing number of women in the workforce globally, they still face considerable discrimination and are often denied key roles and responsibilities.
According to a recent survey by McKinsey across 60 major corporations, women comprised 53% of the entry-level workforce with the number declining to 40% at the managerial level and only 35% working as directors. The number of female vice-presidents, senior vice-presidents, and c-suite executives was found to be 27%, 24%, and 19% respectively.
Today, most organizations are committed towards building an inclusive and diverse workforce, where equal opportunities are provided to all employees irrespective of gender.
Read Guide for ensuring Diversity and Inclusiveness at Workplace
Women’s Day provides organizations with the perfect opportunity to acknowledge the efforts and contribution of their female employees and make them feel equally valued.
It is a great platform for organizations to keep their female employees motivated even in the face of multiple challenges that they face at work and otherwise on a daily basis.
By celebrating Women’s Day, organizations can send out a strong message to their female workforce about their commitment towards creating a fair, safe and inclusive work environment with equal growth opportunities.
Celebrating Woman’s Day provides organizations with a great opportunity to express their gratitude and commitment for their female employees.
Discussed below are a few effective ways to celebrate this day virtually:
1. Inspirational Talks by Prominent Women Achievers
One of impediments towards success for women employees in organizations is the lack of access to female role models, whom they can look up to for inspiration.
Hence, organizations can consider inviting prominent and successful female professionals from different fields to hold interactive sessions with their women employees on Women’s Day. These women achievers narrate stories of their own struggles and achievements and share tips and suggestions on how to overcome various challenges women face as professionals.
These sessions prove to be quite inspirational and provide the participants the motivations and confidence to face the challenges in their own personal and professional lives.
2. Online Wellness Sessions for Women Employees
With the growing importance of health and fitness among employees, organizations can consider having online Yoga, Pilates, mediation, or other fitness sessions for their female employees on Women’s Day.
Organizations can also doing webinars for their women employees with wellness experts such as dieticians, nutritionists, and medical professionals. Such interactive sessions can provide a good platform for their female employees to gain better knowledge about health and lifestyle.
Read more: 5 Initiatives to Improve Employee Wellness at Work
3. Social Media Challenges for Women Employees
One fun and exciting way to celebrate the spirit of womanhood is organize various social media challenges on Women’s Day.
Organizations can choose interesting themes such as creativity, fashion, dance, music, etc. that are a majority of their female workforce can relate to and help to bring out their talent and individuality.
4. Webinars on Financial Well-being for Women Employees
Ensuring the financial well-being of their female employees is as important for organizations today as their physical, mental, and emotional wellness.
They can organize webinars by personal finance experts for their female employees about how to best manage and enhance their financial well-being. Being able to take control of their finances and manage them efficiently is likely to boost their confidence and self-worth.
5. Recognize the Contributions and Achievements of Women Employees
Recognizing and rewarding the contributions of their female employees towards business growth and success is perhaps the best way for organizations to celebrate Women’s Day.
Organizations can consider sending online gifts to all their women employees. The can also reward their highest performing female employees and organize virtual awards ceremony to felicitate them.
6. Celebrating Women’s Day in the Offline World
Apart from the above virtual methods of celebrating Women’s Day, organizations may also consider
offline celebrations wherever possible.
These options could range from having a specific color or dress code for the day, screening of a women-centric film, in-office make-up and grooming sessions, a talent show, a special lunch, gift hampers, etc.
By celebrating Women’s Day, organizations can make a strong statement about promoting gender diversity and equality at the workplace.
This can, in turn, help in enhancing the motivation, commitment, efficiency and performance of their women employees, and hence, driving business growth.
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