Why is Women’s Equality Day important to Convo?
Did you know? 90% of Convo’s workforce is made up of women. We’re dedicated to improving their working conditions throughout the year, not just on Women’s Equality Day. We believe every company must promote equality alongside diversity and inclusion and make their workplace a safe space for every employee. When we advance equality, it opens the door to more opportunities and experiences for not only women but other minority populations.
How can you celebrate Women’s Equality Day?
Here are some ways you can:
Support & Elevate Women in the Workplace
How? We got you covered with some tips:
- Protected leave and paid maternity should be offered, and companies committed to equality should now provide paid leave benefits for both parents to encourage shared caregiving responsibility and reduce discrimination and bias surrounding women and paid leave.
- Stock workplace bathrooms with tampons, pads, and other feminine hygiene products. Every woman has faced a menstrual emergency, and for working females, this can lead to deciding to be late or skipping meetings to attend to this or walk the office asking for products. The most simple and greatly appreciated – action could be to stock bathrooms with these products. It also shows you understand that women are respected and seen.
- Investing in young female leaders by asking current women leaders to mentor not just females, but males as well. This introduces a new perspective and leadership style for males, and studies show it increases empathy and communication in the workplace.
- Avoid meetings during 8-10 am and 3-5 pm. This is the most chaotic time for working mothers who may need to drop off or pick up kids, get to work, shift to work mode, or back to mom mode. Implement a practice of scheduling important meetings between 10 am and 3 pm so they can be fully present without the stress of compromising other demands during these hours.
- Share administrative responsibilities across males and females. Women are usually asked to order lunch, edit presentations or notes, and coordinate meeting logistics if there’s no assistant. Assign tasks to male attendees to defaulting to the women.
- Expand wellness benefits to cover lifestyles. Allow employees to use their allocated funds from wellness stipends and benefits for childcare, even if it’s just $25 a month. If you really want to support females in the workplace, offer childcare benefits.
- Avoid tone or emotion policing by breaking the stigma of emotional female or always expecting them to be positive – “you should smile more” by encouraging employees to respect more forms of expression than the professional “it’s fine” and share honest feedback. Ask leadership to check in with teams and each other on how they are doing.
Support & Elevate Women Outside of the Workplace
- Read books by Deaf Women Authors. Here are some to get you started:
- Future Girl by Asphyxia
- Books by Cece Bell
- She Carries The Sword by Cheyenna Clearbook
- Books by Alison Gervais
- Haben by Haben Girma
- Books by Marlee Matlin
- Books by Sara Novic
- Books by Karen Putz
- In Heaven’s eyes by Kimberly Snipe
- Books by Louise Stern
- Follow those accounts on women empowerment and community:
- Support women-owned small businesses. Check out our Deaf Ecosystem businesses directory in our apps. Here are some of our favorites:
- ByMara
- ErryB.
- Girl & Creativity, and more!
Share & Amplify Women's Stories & Ideas
- Post why #WomensEquality matters to you, a quote that inspires you, or how you’re celebrating equality, and tag us so we can reshare and celebrate with you.
- Send a note to women in your life to encourage and empower them. Let them know why you think they’re awesome and what they mean to you, or ask how you can support them.
