We are in the midst of a uniquely fragile time for women in the workplace. More than half of women are more stressed than a year ago and 46% feel burned out, according to data from Deloitte. 

For despite the pandemic induced revolution in remote working; the uncomfortable truth is many women feel they are facing the same barriers in the workplace. All In Census data found that 10 times more women than men believed parental leave negatively impacted their career progression (53% of women versus 5% of men). While women were six times more likely to be personally discriminated against because of their gender.

According to McKinsey’s Women in the Workplace report, 2021 women are now significantly more burned out - and increasingly more so than men. One in three women says that they have considered downshifting their career or leaving the workforce this year. Yet despite this, women are carrying the load on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion work. (DEI)

McKinsey’s research revealed that women leaders also spend more time than men on DEI work that falls outside of their formal job responsibilities, such as supporting employee resource groups and recruiting employees from underrepresented groups. Senior-level women are twice as likely as senior-level men to dedicate time to these tasks at least weekly. 

So this year as part of the RISE trend report we have asked supporters and industry leaders how they plan to elevate women in 2022. 

It’s interesting to be asked how you will elevate women in 2022. Elevating is about lifting people up. But actually, I want the ground to be level for women to walk into the careers they want.

Women don’t want the climb. They don’t want to be told they are superwomen. Or that they ‘do it all’. They just want equality.

The pandemic was an opportunity in many countries for some women to achieve an equality borne out of a situation where suddenly all the rules of work and society were upended.

In many white-collar jobs, women and men found themselves working at home, faced with the domestic chores, childcare and homeschooling of their household.

So suddenly men and women were equal, right?

Of course not. In 2021, Deloitte figures showed only 31% of women felt they had good work-life balance, down from 71% pre-pandemic. Women also lost jobs at a disproportionate scale – 5% of employed women were affected compared to 3.9% of employed men in 2020, according to Oxfam International.

And before we aim for elevation, there are those who need the straightforward walk to equality even more than others. Discrimination affects women of colour even more so than white women.

This year, before I elevate, I want to make sure I can level the ground for women to walk into careers they deserve.

Step up. Don’t delay.

The facts don’t lie: Women are under-represented in senior positions in agencies & the pandemic has accelerated this implausible reality. And, as creative employment numbers begin to grow again, the opportunity for young women to spend time with female creative role models will only shrink if steps aren’t taken to accelerate hiring, retention and promotion.

So, step up, here are three simple steps every man in Adland can take to help make this happen…

Find your role 

I’ve been fortunate to mentor dozens of people – and by choice all have always been different to me by gender, ethnicity, sexuality, educational attainment or neurodiversity. My role is one of proactive help and making things happen – helping anticipate future barriers, preparing and then handing over the hammer to smash through with access to the best advice and contacts based on care, trust and consistency.

And what do I learn every time? We both benefit from the experience, enabling me to evolve and do better as a manager.

It’s never too soon to start

Too many men hold back through a mistaken belief their employer or an industry body might be already doing something. The reality is change only comes when everyone takes responsibility, and it’s never too early to start. Break the paradigm that your role is exclusive to 9-5 and find the time to embrace everything you can achieve from 5-9 in equal measure.

Make today count

Challenge yourself to name the date you’ll personally make a difference. Step forward, find your role and get involved with any or all these organisations: Creative Equals, SheSays, Good Girls Eat Dinner, WhosYourMomma, Badass Gal, NABS or the groups that personally speak to you. Play your role in enabling and encouraging fairness for all. Don’t delay because you’re needed today.

I believe that lawyers should reflect the society they serve and that only merit should matter in the workplace. Things are improving steadily but women still get a raw deal in both areas, and that’s even more true for women from minority backgrounds. 

So I’m going to keep recruiting women and I’m going to support my colleagues wherever I can. I’m excited about helping a colleague start her journey from school leaver to becoming a lawyer, and am also going to keep up my responsibilities as a mentor this year.

My day job as an employment lawyer means I can also continue tackling issues of equality and fair treatment in the workplace for my clients, whether that means representing victims of discrimination or advising employers on how to avoid the many pitfalls.

On The Dots recently, we’ve seen so many heartbreaking questions posted by skilled and talented Ukrainians in the tech, digital and creative industries who now find themselves out of work and struggling to support their families. Many of course have fled to other countries, the majority being women. 

We wanted to do more to help, so we’re supporting ‘Opportunities for Ukraine’ – an initiative set up by Milan Nandha at Accenture. Milan’s wife is Ukrainian, and he contacted us to see if our private community ‘channel’ tech could be used to help Ukrainian talent find work, get career advice and navigate the UK job market. We of course want to support all refugees, so this channel is open to all. 

If you or your company can support by sharing jobs, opportunities or helping out with career advice (folio reviews, mentoring etc.), please join the channel at https://link.edgepilot.com/s/3e13de15/v46qJlhD1kWjvR3NTBv_pA?u=http://www.the-dots.com/ukraine