‘Focus on what’s strong and what’s wrong’ this International Women’s Day

Another year, another International Women’s Day. 

While some dismiss IWD as being a tokenistic opportunity for corporates to roll out the pink cupcakes and make noise about equality one day a year, I believe International Women’s Day is more relevant than ever in 2023. Rather than looking for what’s wrong, it’s an opportunity to celebrate what’s strong, and to reflect on the amazing progress that’s been made in recent years and decades. 

Here’s why IWD is still relevant in 2023, and how leaders can make it a valuable calendar event on March 8 and beyond.

Another year, another International Women’s Day. Cue: commentary around International Women’s Day being a waste of time, as well-intentioned people take to their platforms and point out why working towards a gender-equal future is important every day, not just on March 8. 

And while we should definitely be keeping gender equality on the agenda 365 days of the year, I still believe that International Women’s Day is relevant in 2023 (and beyond). 

Here’s why. 

It’s a chance to reflect on how far we’ve come. 

The most recent WGEA Scorecard (December 2022) painted a pretty dire picture of gender equality in Australian workplaces. Women are still under-represented in leadership and men are 1.5 times more likely to hold managerial positions. Only 20% of boards have a gender balance. And every single industry has a gender pay gap that favours men.

But rather than rolling out these disappointing stats and pointing the finger of blame, International Women’s Day is an opportunity to reflect on how far we’ve come. 

While a gender-equal future is still years away, the progress that’s been made in the last century is worthy of recognition. 

For example, in 2021, 27 countries had female heads of government or state, but 50 years ago there were none. And according to the World Economic Forum’s Global Gender Gap Report 2021, the global gender gap in health and survival, education, and political empowerment has narrowed by 68.6% since 2006. 

The WGEA scorecard showed that 22.3% of CEOS are women as of December 2022, but how many CEOs were women 30, or even 10 years ago? If we don’t pause to recognise the progress that has been made, we do a disservice to the many women and men before us who’ve fought so hard for greater equality. 

We can focus on what’s strong, as well as what’s wrong. 

International Women’s Day is a great time for companies to recognise what’s strong, not just what’s wrong. 

So if your company has completed a gender pay gap audit and found there is room for improvement, use IWD as a platform to talk about the changes you’re putting in place and the positive work that’s already being done. 

If we only allow companies to talk about gender equality when they’ve achieved a utopian vision of perfect equality, then we don’t provide space for the stories around steps towards progress, and the evolution of businesses as they put resources and structures in place towards a gender-equal future. 

Empower your team to be part of the solution. 

You can use March 8 as a reason to engage your team and empower them to be part of your progress towards better gender equality in your company. 

How? By asking them. Sometimes the simple act of asking your people to share what would help, and what they need, can be really powerful. Survey your people and ask them for their perspectives and lived experiences about gender within your company, and what they’d like to see improved, dropped, or tweaked. Perhaps it’s something easy that you can action immediately, or a longer-term vision that you can start making small steps towards. 

It will increase the chances of all the people in your business, no matter what their gender, will feel included and listened to, and dial down any feelings of ‘us and them’ when it comes to discussing the role of gender in your workplace. 

Make your efforts inclusive, and year-round. 

If you do decide to host an International Women’s Day event, re-think the pink cupcakes and reflect on how you can create an event that is inclusive and valuable. Or take the leap and remove something off the plates of the women on your team for IWD. For example, one organisation recently announced it’s giving its women less work to do on March 8, for the same amount of pay. 

Perhaps it’s engaging a great speaker who will inspire them to think, do, or feel differently about something or challenge their preconceived ideas. Or hosting an event that showcases amazing women in your business who’ve helped make it what it is today. Challenge yourself to try something different, if not this year, then next year. 

Schedule regular team events, surveys, and focus groups or feedback sessions that create opportunities to improve gender equity within your company throughout the year, and consider partnering with an expert to provide ideas, insights, and guidance. This kind of approach shows your people that gender equity is on the agenda every day. 

Maybe one day we’ll achieve an equal society where people are celebrated as individuals, rather than relegated to stereotypes and gender-prescribed boxes, but we’re not there yet by any measure. So International Women’s Day is a relevant reminder to reflect on how far we’ve come, and how far we still have to go.