Did you know that March is Women’s History Month? It’s a crucial time to champion the achievements and contributions of women in American history. We’ve come a long way as a country over the last several decades, but there’s still more work to be done to make work environments a place of equality. As a business owner, you may be wondering how you can incorporate practices into your organization that improves gender equality. Keep reading for expert tips from the team at HR Anew.

Remove the Pay Gap

The gender pay gap is real in our country. On average, women make about 80 cents for every dollar a man makes, and that amount decreases for minority women and women of color. As an organization, it’s your responsibility to remove the pay gap from your hiring practices. It’s a good practice to continually evaluate and compare how your organization pays its employees. Set aside time once per quarter to meet with your HR department or representative and review salaries to identify any potential pay gaps. 

Prioritize Work-Life Balance

Women do a great deal. They are often the primary caregiver at home while holding a full-time job and more. It’s important to take this into consideration when employing women at your organization. Be sure to encourage a good work-life balance for all of your employees, especially the women who may be juggling a great deal in their personal life, as well as their careers. One wonderful way to help your female employees is to offer flex time to allow for caregiving or childcare duties. 

Reevaluate your Hiring Process

In every industry, especially the male-dominated ones, there exists a gender bias in the hiring process. It’s important to continually evaluate and examine how your hiring practices perceive all candidates. Be sure to review all stages of your hiring process for gender biases, including in the job description, interview process and even exit interviews. One helpful tip is to create an inclusive and diverse interview panel, which can incorporate all genders at your organization. 

Promote Open Communication and Transparency

Communication is everything in life, especially in business. As an organization that values its team, you want to make sure that you implement an “open door” communication policy for all of your employees. Your team members need to know they can openly communicate their concerns and that their voices will be heard. Your organization should also be very transparent about hiring practices, especially when it comes to salaries. Your staff should know that your leaders are trying their absolute best to eliminate the gender bias in your hiring process by promoting fair wages for all employees, regardless of their sex. 

Engage With HR Anew

HR Anew delivers expert strategists and specialists in HR, EEO, Training, Recruiting, digital workspaces, and related areas so that organizations and people can thrive and achieve desired results. Connect with us when you want innovative ideas and solutions to optimize digital resources, strategy and training in the areas of diversity, equity, equality, inclusion, and belonging; manager and employee education and training, employee relations and workplace investigations, and human resource advisory services.