| Do you ever stop and wonder why women are | | | | don't want to work for them no matter how attractive |
| leaving your company? Are you unsure how to stem | | | | the job offer. |
| the tide of women leaving corporate America? The | | | | The Solution: Invest in employees as an asset vs. a |
| simple fact behind the answer is senior management | | | | revolving door policy. Do that by supporting continuing |
| and employees are not on the same wave length. The | | | | education and training. Note: This does not mean telling |
| appropriate policies are in place and every one uses | | | | every woman who wants to go into management that |
| the politically correct rhetoric yet the implementation of | | | | they need to go back to school to get a MBA (an all |
| policies never seems to trickle down to those who are | | | | too prevalent practice as an excuse for not bringing |
| affected the most. The women employees know that | | | | women into the managerial pipeline). |
| policies, for the most part, are a joke and not taken | | | | Encourage active participation in professional |
| seriously by the employer. There is a serious | | | | associations. Paying dues, supporting meeting |
| discrepancy in getting the "true" message to the right | | | | attendance and training programs should be carried |
| people. Here are some reasons why. | | | | out. I find many women end up paying their own |
| 1) Lack of legitimate support for women at work | | | | expenses to industry events just to keep their skill sets |
| The Party Line: The company has developed a strong | | | | current. Provide external development opportunities |
| platform of supporting women in the workforce. | | | | where women can be among peers and role models |
| The Reality: Women have not attained parity with in | | | | outside their industry, i.e., leadership conferences, |
| the organization. | | | | training. Encourage women to expand their skill sets |
| The Solution: The company needs more than rhetoric. | | | | such as writing articles and professional speaking. |
| A legitimate plan of understanding the real issues and | | | | Have a mentoring program within the organization |
| implementation of solutions needs to be devised. | | | | where women can learn from each other and help |
| Start by assembling a team that is representative of | | | | younger women grow within the organization. |
| the women within the company. Collect a good | | | | 3) The Company reputation |
| balance between the most senior women executives | | | | The Party Line: Parading glowing reports and |
| (if there are any), those who are on a management | | | | statements in the annual report and literature about |
| track and women who are considered 9-5 employees | | | | happy employees and so forth. Trotting out the "poster |
| (not serious career plans) yet are an integral | | | | child" a senior woman at the top (usually there is only |
| component of the companies success. | | | | one) that is supposed to be representative of the |
| This task force should address the following: What are | | | | entire female workforce. |
| the real issues that concern the women within the | | | | The Reality: The company can't get talented women |
| company? These issues should go beyond the | | | | to come to work for it or stay employed by it. |
| obvious equal pay problems. Prioritize the list and | | | | The Solution: Once a reputation is damaged it's very |
| understand that this is not a quick fix program. If the | | | | difficult for a company to overcome. |
| company has more than one location, representatives | | | | It's a process that needs to be attacked on many |
| from different facilities should be included. This is not | | | | fronts. Just offering jobs to women is not enough. You |
| just a corporate headquarters problem. | | | | need to be where the women are and advertise in the |
| The task force should also look outside the | | | | appropriate women's publications, sponsor the |
| organization for examples of companies that have | | | | appropriate conferences, use job boards that target |
| what are considered "best practices" in supporting | | | | and seek out women applicants endorsing women's |
| women within the workforce. It's important for the | | | | organization that are affiliated with the industry. |
| team to understand that this is not a finger pointing | | | | Word travels fast and women will tell other women |
| exercise but an opportunity to establish parameters | | | | about female unfriendly policies. One of the tips I |
| for what policies they would like to see implemented | | | | always suggest before considering any company is to |
| within their organization. Seeing examples of other | | | | go to the website and using the search button. Type |
| companies' policies in action and the successful | | | | the words women, diversity, leadership, etc. The results |
| outcomes will go a long way toward establishing a | | | | will give you the real picture of how supportive the |
| benchmark for beginning a program Outside experts | | | | company is toward these issues. Chances are you |
| and resources should be called in to share their | | | | won't get a single response to any query. This tells you |
| experiences and progress in implementing similar | | | | very quickly how important this issue really is to the |
| programs | | | | company philosophy. |
| 2) Employees are a resource. | | | | If you do get a "hit," read the article thoroughly. |
| The Party Line: Our employees are our best asset. | | | | Ascertain if it's it legitimate information or pure fluff. |
| The Reality: The employees come last in a series of | | | | Check though all the corporate officers, executive |
| current economic issues. This reflects the belief that | | | | committee and board of directors too. See how many |
| employees can be easily replaced or are overlooked | | | | women are represented. This will give you an insight |
| while other financial issues are addressed. This is so | | | | into the "real" company beliefs and how supportive the |
| commonplace that companies feel like they can | | | | company is of women at senior levels. |
| resolve the employee issue at a later date. The reality | | | | 4) The company in action. |
| is their reputation is already damaged. Women simply | | | | |