You want to promote true equality for women at work? Then, with these 4 tips, you sure to hit a home run.

Do you have any idea how long it takes to bridge the gender gap and gain equality for women at work? The report says, “if nothing changes”, true equality will come in the year 2234.

Yeah, right. That’s around 210 more years!

So, is gender equality another myth?

Well, not really.

There’re still ways to empower women at work and speed up the progress:

Wipeout gender biases

Men are from Mars, women are from Venus. So you and your female counterparts probably have different thoughts on the same behaviors. A seemingly innocent question can pose unconscious bias.

Do you ask female candidates about their children in the interview? Do you do so with male candidates? Or are you hesitant of giving women negative feedback because they're more emotional than men?

Yes? Then now you know what people call “unconscious gender biases” in the workplace.

Review your own biases regularly. If you realize you’re jumping to conclusions about a female colleague, then hold back. Ask yourself if you will do the same thing with a male peer.

Also, reflect your management styles and company policies, from recruitment to the dress codes. You don’t want these features cut the ladies off, right?

Prioritize work-life balance of working mothers

Who doesn’t dream of the work-life balance? Of course, we all try to keep all the plates spinning. But for working moms, this is a minefield. After all, how could you perform your best if you still worry about your kids at home?

Make sure that parental leave is available for both men and women. Mothers will find relief, while fathers can involve more in childcare duties.

Arrange flexible working hours also allows women to minimize family distractions and entirely focus on work. And yes, work-from-home policy works too. A 2-year study from Stanford has proved that working from home is an effective productivity boost.

Still not enough to drive you to create new policies? Check out more insights from working moms in Vietnam here and decide if any improvement needed.

Let the world hear the ladies’ voice

Have you ever seen a male talk over or underrate female colleagues in meetings? Have you done anything to stop that and support her?

We hope you say “Yes!”

Otherwise, now it’s time to draw the line should these situations occur again.

Whenever possible, make sure your female colleagues have the chance to raise their voices at the table and get respect for their opinions. What can you say if a woman is interrupted? Politely suggest “Can we stop for a minute? Her idea sounds great and I just want to hear the whole thing.”

And if she has marvelous ideas, make sure she gets the recognition. Women can become great leaders if the workforce promotes gender equality. Let’s hear our 10 managers share their stories.

Be open and transparent

All right, here’s the old chestnut.

Vietnamese women still face a significant gender pay gap. If one of your new year resolutions is to bring equality to women at work, consider conduct salary audits. Pick out differences between pay rates of employees at similar roles and qualifications. Next, pay both genders equally.

Need a hand with the pay rates? We can help! See the Adecco Salary Guide 2020 here.

Next, give your employees a clear picture of all processes, strategies, and policies that affects their works and interests. Is it knotty to be unfair if everyone knows?

Based on what factors they get promoted? Which level of achievement will get the reward? If your employees can’t answer these questions, redouble your efforts to communicate internally.

Bottom line

Gender equality and how to empower women at work shouldn’t be a concern in 2020. Still, here we are. This quest demands your commitment to step in and persistence to keep going the long haul. But one thing for sure, your environment will eventually become a great place to work for all genders.