Creating a Culture for Women to Succeed in the Workplace

Linda Nedelcoff, Chief Strategy, and Human Resources Officer, CUNA Mutual Group

Even before the pandemic hit, many women felt pressured by the need to “do it all” – to seamlessly feel the need to balance work and personal lives, to lead, and be good partners and caregivers - all while continuously advancing in their careers. The unrealistic belief that there is a single definition of balance, as though one arrives at that, has long caused many women to feel anxious about their work and feeling isolated in careers where achieving seniority can feel unattainable.

But when the pandemic hit, its challenges brought to light many of the issues and impacts women had been battling quietly.

Historically, balancing a professional life with parenting has often created more pressure for women than men, with the responsibility for caregiving traditionally falling on the former. But as COVID-19 required childcare facilities and schools to close and remote work became necessary, it created a tension between two simultaneously important forces—career and kids—with little separation for balance. Ultimately, the pressure was too much, disproportionately driving more women out of the workforce than men.

We’ve started to migrate through the most critical period, but we now know our current systems are not optimized to help women succeed in the workforce. And, while we may not have all the answers, there are things we can start doing today. And we can first focus on combatting stereotypes and expectations and develop a working environment where everyone feels supported and empowered to grow.

In my experience, that starts with authentic and transparent leadership. Modeling this leadership at all levels can make success feel attainable for women. To do this, I try to be open about my experiences as a woman leader, showing vulnerability and speaking honestly about my professional journey and the successes and challenges I’ve faced. Having positive woman influences in my career helped me develop and maintain the confidence I needed to succeed. Watching the journey of others also empowered me to realize, our path is truly our own. I want to be sure my organization provides those same opportunities for everyone. Creating an environment where everyone has the support they need to grow throughout their professional journey, whether just starting out or advancing into leadership positions, is key to reinforcing the message that no one needs to be “perfect” to succeed.

“But when the pandemic hit, its challenges brought to light many of the issues and impacts women had been battling quietly.”

Ensuring that there are consistent opportunities for mentoring (including reverse mentoring) within your organization is another way to ensure there are development pathways for women and others who have been traditionally marginalized. Mentor relationships can make a real difference when it comes to advocacy and exposure to leaders in the company. These relationships can exist in several ways, whether a traditional one—on—one setup, where employees are assigned an individual mentor who is more senior at the company, joining an Engagement Resource Group, or engaging with other women-led professional groups within the organization. A recent Cornell study found that mentoring programs improved promotion and retention rates for minorities and women by 15 to 38 percent compared to non-mentored employees. The more women support other women and speak candidly about how they are balancing professional and personal life, the more we can see ourselves in our colleagues – and in our leaders, developing a true sense of community.

Establishing professional relationships is now more important than ever, with remote work leaving many employees feeling isolated and disconnected, especially for women who often take on the dual responsibility of caregiver and working professional. A study from Gallup found that 25% of Americans report feeling loneliness for much of the day when working from home. Furthermore, networks of support within the organization help elevate women's voices and unify all.

However, there is an opportunity in the new remote or hybrid work environment. One of them is the remote flexibility work has afforded women who have traditionally faced tough decisions about prioritizing professional and familial responsibilities. Without the stigma associated with not being in the office in person and possibly losing Facetime with their managers, the workplace has become less intimidating for women. A Catalyst study found that women are 32% less likely to leave their job if they have access to remote work compared to women with childcare responsibilities who don’t have access to remote work. Since the preference for remote work or going into an office is so situational, the best thing companies can do when considering their return to the office plan is offer options, so employees can decide what suits their lifestyles and work habits best. In addition, the best thing that women leaders can do at senior levels is model those decisions.

Embedding inclusion into HR practices that support minorities and women by helping them to develop a sense of belonging is critical for ensuring everyone has an opportunity for advancement. Here are a few things companies can do to tactically foster more supportive environments:

Create safe spaces in the workplace.

A first step in limiting feelings of isolation is having room to have open and honest conversations about those emotions. Developing protected employee resource groups and mentorship programs in which women feel safe to honestly discuss the issues affecting them can give women the support needed to overcome them. At CUNA Mutual Group, our Women’s Leadership Network and newer ERGs, Caregivers, and Modern Family engagement resource groups help give women some of these safe spaces.

Hold employee training.

Holding training to recognize gender biases and how those can keep women from attaining ensures that the whole company is educated on what is and isn’t acceptable behavior, which is critical to creating safer environments for all. With clear guidance on how to unpack scenarios of concern, colleagues can foster a tighter community in which they can protect one another. Ensuring these training includes soliciting support from allies can also reduce the burden on women to speak up or speak out about issues.

Encourage an environment in which everyone is empowered to support each other.  

Improving paternity leave policies is a great first step to equalizing the playing field for all people. Giving all parents the space to prioritize their families gives women the room to do so as well by destigmatizing parental leave. With everyone given the opportunity to prioritize family, women feel freer to take the necessary time themselves.

Although there is still a significant amount of work to be done to support the advancement of women in the workplace, companies focusing on the aforementioned areas are making a big step in the right direction for working women everywhere. The pandemic created a window into a view of where the fractures of our systems exist. We must not lose the ability to continue to see opportunities and create possibilities. Offering mentorship and remote flexibility while implementing DEI initiatives will help resolve feelings of isolation and are some of the ways to elevate more women to hold the positions they strive for.