# A sensitive guide to supporting your female colleagues in the workplace Author: Pal Sinha, Barnali Author URL: https://financedigest.com/author/pal-sinha-barnali Published: 2022-06-28 Category: BUSINESS Category URL: https://financedigest.com/category/business Meta Title: Creating an Inclusive Company Culture and Leadership Meta Description: Learn expert tips from Sally Evans, Director of Making Moves, on how to support female staff, from leadership methods to understanding women's health URL: https://financedigest.com/a-sensitive-guide-to-supporting-your-female-colleagues-in-the-workplacehtml ![undefined](https://prod.superblogcdn.com/site_cuid_cm5qst7v3003gwirgwqtxn8i8/images/istock-637152194-1736815619493-compressed.jpg) _Inclusive company culture and leadership are crucial to creating an environment where female staff can thrive and give their best. Here, Sally Evans, Director of the experts in office space_ [_Making Moves_](https://makingmoveslondon.co.uk/) _, offers some tips for how you can start to form supportive structures in your business._ Increasingly, companies are becoming aware of support structures that can help female employees be fulfilled and productive at work, such as menstrual leave policies and acknowledgement of the difficulties of menopause. This changing environment is a perfect time to reconsider your own company’s leadership methods and anywhere that you can make things more inclusive and supportive for women. Here, we’ll take you through some ideas for how you can make sure the [women in your workplace are empowered](https://www.financedigest.com/three-reasons-why-digital-money-can-empower-women-worldwide.html "Three Reasons Why Digital Money Can Empower Women Worldwide"), supported, and can be their most productive selves. ## Inclusive leadership methods Being an inclusive [leader is an important part of making your company more welcoming to women](https://www.financedigest.com/kenyas-women-leaders-look-to-new-president-to-keep-his-promises.html "Kenya’s women leaders look to new president to keep his promises"). It’s important to [understand that unconscious bias](https://www.financedigest.com/corporate-leadership-understanding-your-own-bias.html "Corporate Leadership: Understanding Your Own Bias") often means that we don’t notice sexism or workplace policies that can feel exclusionary. For instance, it might be the case that female employees are always the ones being asked to make tea or coffee, or prepare a room or [table for a meeting](https://www.financedigest.com/veterinary-tables-market-rise-to-meet-large-demand-in-coming-years-fact-mr-study.html "Veterinary Tables Market Rise To Meet Large Demand In Coming Years, Fact.MR Study"). While these things are small, they can add up over time and make female [staff members](https://www.financedigest.com/gumgum-appoints-new-staff-members-across-germany.html "GumGum appoints new staff members across Germany") feel that they are being treated as inferior to their male counterparts. So, [become a more inclusive leader](https://www.financedigest.com/intuitive-decision-making-could-this-approach-be-the-most-underrated-way-to-becoming-a-successful-leader.html "Intuitive decision making: could this approach be the most underrated way to becoming a successful leader?") by completing unconscious bias training yourself, and then either deliver it yourself to your team, or have an organisation visit to deliver this training. It can make a world of difference to have people in your [company be aware of these small implicit biases they might hold, allowing them to reflect on their own behaviour and how they can change the company culture where needed](https://www.financedigest.com/italys-windfall-tax-on-energy-companies-needs-to-be-rewritten-pm.html "Italy’s windfall tax on energy companies needs to be rewritten – PM"). Another area that might be covered in this training, is that when female leaders are assertive, they fear being perceived as aggressive or overly ambitious, in contrast to their male colleagues. Being an inclusive leader also means [supporting your female workers or colleagues in discussions to ensure](https://www.financedigest.com/strategic-budgeting-ensures-success-of-community-support-programs.html "Strategic Budgeting Ensures Success of Community Support Programs") they feel able to express their points without this worry. ## Understanding women’s health You can also make a difference in how inclusive your work [environment](https://www.financedigest.com/the-benefits-of-creating-a-great-working-environment.html "The Benefits of Creating a Great Working Environment") is by understanding women’s health issues and making accommodations at work to help them feel more welcome. For instance, menopause can come with many difficult symptoms, such as hot flushes, fatigue, sleep difficulties, and fluctuating body temperature. Having flexitime at work can allow women to organise their workdays more in line with their health needs, and [leadership being amenable to women](https://www.financedigest.com/the-girl-boss-is-gone-welcome-to-a-new-era-for-women-in-leadership.html "The ‘Girl Boss’ is gone. Welcome to a new era for women in leadership") taking time out for health appointments can also make things easier. Flexitime and [work from home](https://www.financedigest.com/how-to-maintain-physical-and-mental-health-while-working-from-home.html "How to maintain physical and mental health while working from home") policies are also great for women who are pregnant, as they can allow them to continue to meet their targets while still looking after their health needs. Working from [home can be particularly useful as it allows women to work from a comfortable environment](https://www.financedigest.com/demand-for-secure-and-safer-home-environment-will-increased-revenue-sales-of-baby-gates-market.html "Demand For Secure And Safer Home Environment Will Increased Revenue Sales Of Baby Gates Market"). To make your [office space](https://www.financedigest.com/a-guide-to-finding-office-space-for-your-startup.html "A guide to finding office space for your startup") more welcoming too, ensure that you have good toilet facilities for women, and that they are well maintained and clean. ## Offer mentorship and networking While women are increasingly stepping into varied (and often male-dominated) careers, there are still more men in [leadership roles than women](https://www.financedigest.com/six-ways-women-in-leadership-can-make-an-impact.html "Six ways women in leadership can make an impact"). The number of women in leadership in FTSE 100 companies in the UK has risen to almost 40%, compared to only 12.5% 10 years ago ( [UK Government](https://www.gov.uk/government/news/sea-change-in-uk-boardrooms-as-women-make-up-nearly-40-of-ftse-100-top-table-roles)). Companies with over 250 employees also have to publish figures comparing men’s and women’s salaries across the organisation on a [government web page](https://gender-pay-gap.service.gov.uk/). However, there is still more to be done in this area, and offering [women supportive networks and mentoring is a great way](https://www.financedigest.com/3-ways-to-safeguard-and-include-women-in-construction.html "3 ways to safeguard and include women in construction") of encouraging them to reach higher in their careers. This also comes with the bonus of allowing your brightest and most ambitious employees to learn and [develop within your company](https://www.financedigest.com/impact-com-appoints-a-raft-of-new-business-development-representatives-as-the-technology-companys-client-roster-grows-by-more-than-50.html "impact.com appoints a raft of new Business Development Representatives as the technology company’s client roster grows by more than 50%"). There are a variety of ways that you can integrate this into your company — you might choose to host [networking events](https://www.financedigest.com/6-steps-to-organising-an-introvert-friendly-networking-event.html "6 Steps to organising an introvert-friendly networking event ") for women in your field, run leadership workshops for women, or do school visits to talk to the next generation of female staff about the potential of your industry area. ## Adapting policies for your workforce When you are formulating your policies and deciding how to organise your company, it’s important to [keep in mind that some things might work](https://www.financedigest.com/why-employers-rocked-by-the-great-resignation-must-keep-working-mothers-on-board.html "Why employers rocked by the Great Resignation must keep working mothers on board ") for other businesses and not for yours, and vice versa. So, take [time to garner feedback from your female staff members to see how the changes you are making are influencing their experience](https://www.financedigest.com/how-real-time-data-innovation-is-driving-up-customer-experience-in-fintech.html "How real-time data innovation is driving up customer experience in fintech") at work. Using anonymous [company surveys is a great way](https://www.financedigest.com/uk-companies-are-failing-to-capitalise-on-innovation-but-successful-innovators-are-showing-the-way.html "UK Companies Are Failing to Capitalise on Innovation, But Successful Innovators Are Showing the Way") to do this. If you gain good or bad feedback, make tweaks to your approach in order that everyone in your [company feels](https://www.financedigest.com/shipping-companies-feel-the-heat-as-investors-shun-coal.html "Shipping companies feel the heat as investors shun coal") empowered and included. This will not only mean your ideas are more tailored for your workforce, but it can also help people to feel more motivated and [invested in the business](https://www.financedigest.com/why-investing-in-employee-health-can-be-good-for-business.html "Why investing in employee health can be good for business"). ## Improve parental leave policies In the UK, statutory maternity leave is 52 weeks, and this is comprised of ‘Ordinary Maternity Leave’ for 26 weeks, and ‘Additional Maternity Leave’ for another 26 weeks. Pay is only received for up to 39 weeks, and the [rate of pay is reduced proportionally after the first six weeks](https://www.financedigest.com/rate-rise-fears-prompt-third-week-of-global-equity-funds-outflows.html "Rate rise fears prompt third week of global equity funds outflows"). Meanwhile, men might be entitled to two weeks of [paternity leave](https://www.financedigest.com/paternity-leave-and-why-its-important.html "Paternity Leave and Why It’s Important."), but it’s often unpaid. Improving both your maternity and paternity leave offerings will go a long [way](https://www.financedigest.com/5-ways-to-improve-your-business-finances.html "5 Ways to Improve Your Business Finances") to improving your workplace environment for women, making your company more inclusive and welcoming to employees who decide to have children while being a part of your team. Not only will this create a better environment for the employees you already have, but it will also attract many female employees who want to [pursue their career](https://www.financedigest.com/the-importance-of-role-models-and-policy-in-encouraging-more-women-to-pursue-careers-in-the-finance-sector.html "The importance of role models and policy in encouraging more women to pursue careers in the finance sector") while balancing it with starting a family. **Overall, there are many things that you can do within leadership roles to ensure that female employees are supported and feel able to progress within your [company. This will lead to a workplace](https://www.financedigest.com/anyone-can-write-assignment-need-people-able-apply-new-skills-workplace-says-top-investment-management-company.html "“Anyone can write an assignment, but we need people to be able to apply their new skills to the workplace,” says top investment management company") where everyone feels respected and able to bring their best performance to work.** --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. ---