No it was not a ‘Happy’ IWD

No, it was not a ‘Happy’ International Women’s Day. And no, we didn’t celebrate it. Because there really isn’t anything to celebrate.

Women are still under-represented in the workplace at leadership levels, with men holding over 90% of the top jobs. Only 5% of CEOs globally are women and only 9% of Heads of State. Only 32% of Executives are women - and that’s not generally in the crucible jobs (women hold 77% of HR Director roles and only 29% of the Finance Director positions). Men are ten times more likely to make partner in a law firm. Only 2% of global VC funding goes to Female Founded companies (even though they perform 63% better). And women are still paid less than men (around 12%), even when we’re doing the same job. Whilst generally also doing around 80% of the unpaid work at home for the family.

I could go on, but I will simply say that women are not winning at work. But what is even worse is that most companies aren’t doing anything about it. DEI is currently very much out of fashion (thanks to a President who doesn’t believe in woman & diversity and has given the non-committed a great excuse to follow suit) - and programs, training and budgets have been significantly reduced or cut completely.

So forgive me if I didn’t smile when you wished me a ‘Happy’ International Women’s Day - but you’re lucky I didn’t scream. Because what I saw was too few companies with International Women’s Day programs built on the foundations of true year-round commitment to driving gender equality and supporting their women- and too many putting on half-baked ‘one day a year’ IWD activities as a small sticking plaster attempting to cover up the lack of investment in this important work for the other 364 days. Plus a lot of women’s networks scrambling to put something on with zero support or budget from their management.

What we’re left with is a big gender inequality issue and not enough focus on and investment in making progress. International Women’s Day isn’t the work equivalent of a wedding anniversary, or Valentine’s Day - there to remind men to ‘thank’ and ‘celebrate’ the ‘amazing’ women around them. It’s there to remind us that women still do not have equal rights and opportunities and careers and compensation - and to remind us to commit to actually doing something about it.