No doubt women have come a long way in the workplace. However, with Covid, we’re seeing women and the strides they’ve made once again in a precarious position. Women are much more likely to have to leave the workforce to take care of family, are more at risk for burnout, and Black women in particular are less likely to feel supported at work.

With all that in mind, let’s look back at how far we’ve come, where women stand now in the workforce, and our opportunities to move forward.

Looking Back

The status quo of men in positions of power while women remained in the domestic world or held nurturing positions such as nursing and teaching more of less held a tight grip on our society until the 1990s—and then change went into overdrive.

Although the number of women in corporate roles had been steadily growing by the time the 1990s rolled around, they were working in a system designed by and for men. Women were advised to leave their familial values at home and adopt a masculine dog-eat-dog outlook in the name of getting ahead.

As technology advanced, the democratization of information access helped level the playing field. At the same time, organizations began to shift to a more collaborative culture that nurtured talent.

Tipping Point

Cracks in the status quo widened in the lead-up to and during the Great Recession. The overabundance of overconfident men at the table became overwhelmingly apparent in the 2008 crash.

The cultures of the organizations that played a role in the recession were under the microscope, leading to a re-examination of how overconfidence often overshadows competency and what qualities make a good leader.

Even so, women continued to apologize for what they perceived to be their shortcomings and undervaluing their contributions. This confidence gap affected everything from self-confidence to the ability to successfully negotiate compensation (which we talked in last month’s blog).

Where We Stand Now

In the aftermath of the recession, the #MeToo movement, and the pandemic, solidarity has become more mainstream than ever. Business resource groups and social media have helped provide a general sense of freedom to talk about what’s going on in the workplace and the ability to get past the trope of “women can’t just get along.”

Having men step up and better understand what an ally is and why and how they should be one, as well as improved organizational engagement, has vastly helped the shift the culture around why women should hold leadership positions and how to help them get there. Together, we have made a lot of headway—but there are many opportunities to push for more change.

Going Forward

March 2020 changed the working world as we know it. Before the pandemic, companies were catching on to the fact that if they wanted to attract more women at all levels, they needed a more flexible work schedule. Now, the lines between work and home have never been blurrier. The conversations around what is working and what’s not for women and men alike who are now at home—once considered the woman’s domain—have never been more transparent.

Now, we are at a precipice. On one hand, women hold more leadership positions than ever before. On the other, so many others are quitting their jobs to take care of domestic needs.

Having the good, the bad, and the ugly in the spotlight is what led to women stepping into leadership roles in the first place. We cannot afford a loss of female talent because of a lack of flexible scheduling. It’s up to all of us to put pressure on our allies and our leadership teams to amplify these conversations and create an inclusive future of work that goes well beyond the status quo and provides ample opportunities for success for all.

Final Word

Regular readers know I’m a movie buff. I highly recommend watching classics like 9 To 5, Working Girl, Erin Brokovich, The Devil Wears Prada, and His Girl Friday and see what’s changed and what hasn’t since they came out. I’d love to know your thoughts.

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