It’s no secret that women are thriving in the workplace. In fact, the number of Fortune 500 women CEOs reached an all time high in 2014, according to Fortune.
Mary Barra (General Motors), Ursula Burns (Xerox) and Sherilyn McCoy (Avon), just to name a few, came out on top by working hard and taking advantage of the growing equality in the workplace.
These amazing women inspire us to dream big and never, ever let our gender get in the way of our success. Know about the workplace advancements that are narrowing the gender gap, so you can join the ranks.
Monetary Compensation Are Near Equal
Equal pay for men and women has long been debated. Fortunately, Pew Social Trends found that the pay gap for millennial women is near parity. According to the census, in 2012, among workers ages 25 to 34, women’s hourly earnings were 93 percent those of men. Of course, much of this has to do with the level of education obtained, giving women that completed a bachelor’s degree a significant advantage than those who didn’t graduate from college.
Companies Value Both Genders
However, equality doesn’t mean sameness. Each gender brings different skill sets to the workforce, which more and more companies are beginning to realize. For example, in 2014, L’Oréal USA was the winner of the EDGE (Economic Dividends for Gender Equality) award due to its outstanding gender parity. Additionally, a study by Sara Ellison, an MIT economist, found that gender diversity in the workplace can increase a firm’s productivity and, in turn, its revenue.
Men Are Helping Women Succeed
With so many men in top positions, it’s necessary for them to understand the great advantages that come with helping women succeed, explains The Huffington Post. HeForShe, an organization focused on gender equality, brings that idea to light. Furthermore, influential men like Warren Buffet agree with the idea. According to the Chicago Tribune, the business magnate is known to have said, “The key to America’s future success lies in helping women achieve as much in business as their male counterparts.”
Maternity and Paternity Leave Becoming the Norm
It’s well known that the U.S. is the only developed country without mandatory paid maternity. However, many companies are taking it upon themselves to change this situation. For example, Apple recently overhauled its employee benefits to offer longer parental leave for both men and women, according to Apple Insider. Yahoo also implemented a new policy that offers a generous amount of parental leave and LifeLock, an identity theft protection company, gives employees four weeks of paid time off, earned during their first year.
Companies Are Creating More Gender-Inclusive Work Environments
Workplaces are also narrowing the gap with unique approaches to gender equality. Infosys, for instance, follows a multi-pronged path to promote diversity and inclusivity within the organization by developing women for managerial and leadership roles, according to the Experteer magazine. Also, Ernst & Young identifies manager-level women and gives them key sales opportunities. Fluor Corporation takes a slightly different approach and hires women to fill vacant positions of previous female employees. Many other companies, like Pitney Bowes, create job postings that target qualified women for certain roles.
Identity Magazine is all about empowering women to get all A’s in the game of life — Accept. Appreciate. Achieve.TM Every contributor and expert answer the Identity 5 questions in keeping with our theme. As a team, we hope to inspire and motivate ourselves and inspire you to get all A’s.
What have you accepted within your life, physically and/or mentally? What are you still working on accepting?
Accepting that I can’t control every aspect of my life took time.
What have you learn to appreciate about yourself and/or within your life, physically and mentally? What are you still working on to appreciate?
I appreciate the opportunities that have been granted to me throughout my life because they’ve helped create a better version of me.
What is one of your most rewarding achievements in life? What makes YOU most proud? What goals and dreams do you still have?
One of the most rewarding achievements in my life has been graduating from college and beginning a career I love. I continue to work toward advancing my professional life by learning new skills.
We all have imperfections, so we think. The truth–we are all perfectly imperfect. What are your not-so-perfect ways? What imperfections and quirks create who you are–your Identity?
I am not always as patient as I should be when it comes to seeing results. However, that imperfections helps me realize when I need to change my goals or direction in life.
“I Love My…” is an outlet for you to express and appreciate all the positive traits that make you…well… YOU! Sharing what you love about yourself will make you smile, feel empowered, and uplift your spirit and soul. (we assure you!)
Identity challenges you to complete the phrase “I Love My…?
I love my family and friends!
