In honor of International Women's Day (Mar.8), I'm posting these articles about women in the workplace:
Jan. 21, 2017 "Empowering women by excluding men": Today I found this article by Leah Eichler in the Globe and Mail:
In 2015, a Canadian mockumentary called No Men Beyond This Point comically painted a world in which men were no longer evolutionary necessary and, as a result, were dying out.
Women, it seemed, managed to get along fine without them and ended up not only running every country smoothly, but their work was valued more than men’s.
Women, it seemed, managed to get along fine without them and ended up not only running every country smoothly, but their work was valued more than men’s.
Meanwhile, in the real world, things remain very different. Women continue to work hard to penetrate the C-suite, which remains male dominated and the pay gap persists. Yet, rather than pushing their way for a seat at the table, there appears to be a trend among female entrepreneurs who are just saying no to working with men.
Late last year, a new all-female co-working space launched in New York, called The Wing. It reportedly received 1,300 applications on its opening day. While the Wing didn’t respond to an interview request, its website describes its location as a multipurpose space designed to make women’s lives easier and that “magic is created when women gather together.”
The concept is not exactly new, but apparently growing in popularity. Closer to home, in Toronto, there are a number of designated spaces for women to work independently from men. The question remains: why?
“Women deserve a workspace and culture that empowers and inspires them to be their best and sometimes it’s worth building our own table rather than fighting for a seat at a table where we don’t really want to be in the first place,” said Emily Rose Antflick, founder of Shecosystem, a female-only co-working space that opened in November in Toronto.
The 1,650-square-foot space offers desks, a lounge area, a studio space, a kitchen and meeting rooms. It also offers wellness programs, such as yoga. Currently, it doesn’t support childcare – but that’s on its agenda.
Co-working spaces, Ms. Antflick explained, have been gaining in popularity over the past decade but they are still perceived as being filled with “app-building bros trying to beat each other out to be the next unicorn [billiondollar company].”
Women, she observed, don’t necessarily see themselves reflected in the competitive and aggressive startup culture. In fact, Ms. Antflick sees an all-female co-working space as a natural progression of the co-working movement, which is founded on what she calls “feminine values,” including openness, accessibility, sustainability, collaboration and community.
“I really believe that if women were in charge, the world of business would look a lot more like co-working,” she said.
“Lots of women here have said they feel like they’ve finally found their tribe,” she added.
Despite being geared to women, Ms. Antflick said the company values inclusivity. “It’s not just women who are hurting from our patriarchal workplace culture. Currently, there are two male members, both of whom felt limited by their masculine workplaces and wanted to honour their own feminine energy. Our members are welcome to bring in clients or guests of any gender, but we do have some events that are for women-identified people only,” she added.
Women on the Move is another organization in Toronto that caters to female entrepreneurs, with 3,200 square feet of hot desks or workstations shared by different individuals, private offices, conference rooms and dedicated desks as well as event space. Nicola Morgan, vice-president of the company, said that women entrepreneurs want a more sophisticated co-working experience, with champagne and chandeliers rather than beer dispensers and foosball tables.
“An environment that is predominantly female allows women to lean in and speak with greater confidence. We wanted to create and provide an environment for women that would encourage and foster growth, confidence and development, both personal and professional,” Ms. Morgan said. She doesn’t feel that the lack of men hurt women’s chances to get ahead.
“If women want to get ahead they need to have the same skills as men – end of sentence. We help women understand and develop those skills. It is business and men have been at it for a lot longer than women – we are simply speeding up the process of evolution,” she said.
Yet, not all advocates for women in business endorse a single gender workplace.
Ritu Bhasin, president of Bhasin Consulting Inc., a firm that provides leadership and inclusion strategies to global organizations, said she unintentionally has an all-female team and can see the benefits of surrounding herself with women.
However, as an advocate for inclusion, she believes having a diversity of thought allows professionals to make better decisions and that only happens when you have different genders at the table.
However, as an advocate for inclusion, she believes having a diversity of thought allows professionals to make better decisions and that only happens when you have different genders at the table.
“Many workplaces have gender based silos – the leadership ranks are made up mostly by men, while the entry ranks are largely made up by women. So it may already feel like you're working on a same-gender team,” Ms. Bhasin observed.
“However, you'll benefit from working with men by being exposed to different ways of thinking, leading, communicating and motivating others so find ways to work with men, be mentored and sponsored by men, and observe men at work,” she advised.
https://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/careers/career-advice/life-at-work/empowering-women-in-the-workplace-by-excluding-men/article33687354/
Mar. 17, 2019 My opinion: I thought it was an average article. I then went to see that there were 29 comments on it. It was mixed of positive and negative. One was a guy who says he works at Sheco:
I am one of the men who work at Shecosystem. It is not nonsense to me. I like working here. I like the atmosphere. In fact, I'm here, at Shecosystem right now.
I've had a very productive day. Now I'm taking a moment to share what my experience is like with others.
Shecosystem is a co-working space built on feminine values. That means a new way of doing business, a new way of doing work.
Who among us loses track of work-life balance? Here at Shecosystem we start each day with an opening circle where we can support each other to be successful. We end each day with a closing circle that we can use to reflect upon our day.
Working at Shecosystem makes me better at work, and better at life. I'm not saying this to sell Shecosystem to you or anyone. I am saying this is my work identity, and its not nonsense to me. It is what I prefer. It is what makes me productive.
I've had a very productive day. Now I'm taking a moment to share what my experience is like with others.
Shecosystem is a co-working space built on feminine values. That means a new way of doing business, a new way of doing work.
Who among us loses track of work-life balance? Here at Shecosystem we start each day with an opening circle where we can support each other to be successful. We end each day with a closing circle that we can use to reflect upon our day.
Working at Shecosystem makes me better at work, and better at life. I'm not saying this to sell Shecosystem to you or anyone. I am saying this is my work identity, and its not nonsense to me. It is what I prefer. It is what makes me productive.
Jan. 30, 2017 "Give dudes a role in being mentors to female co-workers": Today I found this article by Harvey Schachter in the Globe and Mail:
Brad Johnson and David Smith are two dudes – their term – with a mission to get dudes to help women in organizations.
They both teach at the United States Naval Academy, so they are well aware of masculine culture and the problems women face in organizations – as well as the difficulties that arise when men mentor women.
Prof. Johnson, a clinical psychologist, has deeply researched mentoring and Prof. Smith, a sociologist, teaches gender issues and the experience of women.
While they were meeting with Sheryl Sandberg, chief operating officer of Facebook and author of Lean In, she stressed that men have to be a big part of the solution for workplace gender issues and so the two dudes decided to see what they can do to expand and improve mentoring by men of women.
“We’re guys, we teach at a military academy, and we can speak to guys with credibility,” Prof. Johnson said in an interview.
“We’re guys, we teach at a military academy, and we can speak to guys with credibility,” Prof. Johnson said in an interview.
With so few women in top positions, there aren’t enough to mentor the many women in lower ranks and men have to help. Beyond that, there are three reasons for guys to get involved.
First, it’s a bottom-line issue: If organizations don’t keep, retain and promote women, they are only using half the population.
Second, it’s good for women – those who are mentored get promoted more, enjoy their career more, are happier, and achieve better work-life balance.
Third, men who engage with women in collegial relationships see their EQ (emotional intelligence quotient) rise a few notches; they communicate better and are more empathetic.
“Dudes, this is good for you,” Prof. Johnson declares.
“Dudes, this is good for you,” Prof. Johnson declares.
But men have been holding back or when they try are uncertain of how best to handle the gender differences. The elephant in the room, the duo feels, is that men are worried they might be attracted to the woman they are mentoring.
The professors brush that aside: It’s a natural, normal biological reaction for many men. The danger, Prof. Smith says, is that “we’ll deny that attraction but still act upon it. Use the frontal cortex, acknowledge it, think about it, and make good decisions.”
The professors brush that aside: It’s a natural, normal biological reaction for many men. The danger, Prof. Smith says, is that “we’ll deny that attraction but still act upon it. Use the frontal cortex, acknowledge it, think about it, and make good decisions.”
In their book Athena Rising, a manual for men mentoring women, they present 46 specific lessons, including:
First do no harm: Mentoring is a fiduciary relationship and you have an ethical obligation to do no harm. Be careful with your advice and any assistance you offer.
Beware of benign sabotage, helping a woman get into a job she’s not yet ready for. Keep her career front of mind, not how things you suggest for her might be gratifying to you.
“You don’t want to take on women as mentees to make yourself look good,” Prof. Johnson warns in the interview.
Confront your gender biases: Be alert to the gender stereotypes you have absorbed, such as she is not as committed to her career as men or if she takes on a greater burden at work she will be abandoning her responsibilities to family.
In their interviews with mentors, a number talked of times when they held back from recommending a woman for a promotion because she had children. “Let her make the decision,” Prof. Smith says.
Understand your “manscripts”: Your relationships with adult women have been influenced by the father-daughter dynamic; the warrior/knight stereotype of rescuing the damsel in distress; and the seducer-seductress theme.
Mentoring isn’t any of that, so guard against those instincts. You may want to help her, but that doesn’t mean she is a damsel in distress you must save. She’s not your daughter, needing you to father her. And, of course, this is not about seduction. Those impulses will arise; be alert, and beat them back.
Beware of benign sabotage, helping a woman get into a job she’s not yet ready for. Keep her career front of mind, not how things you suggest for her might be gratifying to you.
“You don’t want to take on women as mentees to make yourself look good,” Prof. Johnson warns in the interview.
Confront your gender biases: Be alert to the gender stereotypes you have absorbed, such as she is not as committed to her career as men or if she takes on a greater burden at work she will be abandoning her responsibilities to family.
In their interviews with mentors, a number talked of times when they held back from recommending a woman for a promotion because she had children. “Let her make the decision,” Prof. Smith says.
Understand your “manscripts”: Your relationships with adult women have been influenced by the father-daughter dynamic; the warrior/knight stereotype of rescuing the damsel in distress; and the seducer-seductress theme.
Mentoring isn’t any of that, so guard against those instincts. You may want to help her, but that doesn’t mean she is a damsel in distress you must save. She’s not your daughter, needing you to father her. And, of course, this is not about seduction. Those impulses will arise; be alert, and beat them back.
Be a role model: Set the tone for inclusivity by your actions in the workplace. Inquire about the experiences of women in the workplace and help address problems. Promote formal mentoring programs, especially those targeting women.
Practise humility: You’ve never been a woman so don’t assume you know everything about them. Don’t assume, either, that women are all the same; she is an individual.
“Let her know at the start that you don’t understand her experiences, and do your best afterwards to understand her career in her terms,” Prof. Johnson says.
“Let her know at the start that you don’t understand her experiences, and do your best afterwards to understand her career in her terms,” Prof. Johnson says.
She’s more like you than you think: Alternatively, don’t exaggerate the differences.
Women often have the same aspirations as men. “They are looking to achieve the same things as guys,” Prof. Smith says. “Women are not foreign.”
Women often have the same aspirations as men. “They are looking to achieve the same things as guys,” Prof. Smith says. “Women are not foreign.”
The two dudes’ important message: Men, step up and mentor women – with humility and a desire to learn.
https://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/careers/management/six-ways-men-can-better-mentor-women-in-the-workplace/article33805175/
Mar. 17, 2019 My opinion: This was an average article. There are only 5 comments on it:
Nope. Sloots are on their own now. Strong and independent, right? Women need men like fish need a bicycle. Blah blah blah
Are you kidding me? And walk into a sexual harrasment suit because of some perceived slight on her part? I've seen this happen and the devastating concequences on careers and family. This whole article is a trap, a set up, whether the author realizes it or not.
NEVER deal with a woman on a one to one basis. Always have a third person present. Always have the door open. No socializing in any form. I know a few companies that are very reluctant to hire woman because of the liabilities they present. And it's not discrimination, they're perfectly aware of the lost opportunities, but balanced against the cost the business decision is clear.
NEVER deal with a woman on a one to one basis. Always have a third person present. Always have the door open. No socializing in any form. I know a few companies that are very reluctant to hire woman because of the liabilities they present. And it's not discrimination, they're perfectly aware of the lost opportunities, but balanced against the cost the business decision is clear.
Read next week in a series of exposing gender bias: "Seven ways women can better mentor men in the workplace"
I have a conscious bias against the term "unconscious bias" - one of the most patronizing concepts peddled by HR types.
yes this article amplifies and reinforces unconscious bias against men.
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