What Women Want (at Work)

To #BreakTheBias ManpowerGroup is calling for more companies to respond to What Women Want at Work – new data shows autonomy, career progression and feeling motivated / passionate about the work they do matters most!

As we look to the post-pandemic world of work, employers who provide choice, flexibility and performance-over-presenteeism will attract and keep the best diverse talent, all while driving the skills and growth agendas.

Both women (at 39%) and men (slightly lower at 37%) are feeling the effects of the pandemic. People want employers to offer more – to prioritize wellbeing and purpose, while providing flexibility, competitive pay, good working conditions and skills development.

Mental fitness will be increasingly prioritized, expanding traditional health and safety exponentially. A mass movement to break the stigma of silence will require employers to be explicit about their increased duty of care – protecting mental health as well as wealth (financial health).

Now is the time to reimagine a new future of work. If the 5-day week were phased out, what would women (and men) choose?

• 62% of women (and 65% of men) would prefer to work a compressed four-day week (paid for 5)
• 1 in 5 women would like to work four days, vs. just 16% of men
• Regardless of gender, 19% would prefer to choose which days / times of the week suits them to get their work done.

WHAT EMPLOYERS CAN DO TO SUPPORT WOMEN IN THE WORKPLACE

1. Support them to balance work with caring responsibilities, start with flexible start and finish times.
2. Value performance over presenteeism – being in the physical room is no longer a determiner of commitment.
3. Help women progress into leadership by focusing on high-growth roles and offering career advancement support.
4. Know that culture creates change, not just policy. Over half of leaders believe the single most powerful thing an organization can do to promote more women leaders is to create an inclusive culture.
5. Leadership must own it – gender parity cannot be delegated to Human Resources. For commitment to be authentic and aligned with business strategy, change must flow from the top.