Empowering women at work begins with balance

Working women often have a lot on their plate. Juggling caregiving responsibilities and a career is no small feat, and that is why, in the workplace, understanding this balancing act is important.

Empowerment begins here, and according to Fifty Acres founder and chief executive Jo Scard, leaders must acknowledge the responsibilities working women have.

“Empowering women at work means acknowledging the significant load they usually have at home. Statistics show that women take on the majority of their home life. Whether they are parents with dependent children, or managing a home. In order for women to thrive as leaders in the workplace, their overall load must be taken into account,” said Scard.

The benefits of empowering and supporting women with their responsibilities are further reaching than just the wellbeing of the individual. Through this type of uplifting culture, employers can foster high-performing teams that are able to balance work life with their careers effectively.

“We believe the benefits of empowering women at work and helping them to balance all they have on their plate means they are not forced to reconsider their employment status, or even worse, burn out due to a lack of understanding from their employer,” noted Scard.

“Women have a lot to offer the workforce, but given the obvious inequities, they do need a certain level of flexibility to ensure they are able to balance all of their responsibilities. Without employers working with women to understand their specific needs, we are going to lose a lot of future leaders as they grapple with getting everything done on a daily basis.”

According to Scard, work/life balance is a great path towards empowerment. Giving people the space and time to manage home life and work life is a great way to develop a positive culture.

“As a female leader, balancing my own life, I seek to model positive work/life balance behaviour and provide opportunities to all our staff to fulfil their potential as a future leader,” she explained.

“I believe it is most important for women who are juggling many balls that a rewarding career is possible. Whilst I am not sure any woman can ‘have it all’, you can create a certain balance in your life, whereby work and personal life do not intertwine.”

Scard concluded: “For our emerging leaders on staff, we ensure we help to build their confidence, encourage knowledge building, so when it is time to become a female leader – they will be ready.”

Jack Campbell

Jack is the editor at HR Leader.