Zoom in to International Women’s Day 2021
EVEN though we wish it were otherwise it seems a working life dependent on zoom calls is here to stay. For many workers this has been the only form of contact with fellow workers in over a year. It’s not ideal, even if we are glad of technology as a tool for social contact.
Zoom calls are stressful and tend to be mainly associated with work-related pressures. Meeting several times a week to discuss the ins and outs of the working week and your work progress is a demanding exercise. That’s why International Women’s Day is a good opportunity to mix things up.
Why not create a zoom session to celebrate and recognise the contribution made by women to your company or workplace? A useful exercise is to ask workers why they feel women are integral to the working environment. Address any concerns on how women can make a better difference. The list of items open for discussion are endless and can make a positive difference to the working environment.
Remember to make it an easy going zoom session. It’s about having an open debate on the impact female workers make to their environment. Life is all about meeting face to face.
WHILE the retail sector is very much a samesex industry, a majority of these workers are undoubtedly women. Throughout the pandemic they have turned up for work and helped to keep some semblance of normality in our day to day lives. These same women in retail not only worked hard and long to ensure customers got their groceries, but they have also doubled-jobbed as therapists, counsellors, and friends to their customers. In many cases, retail workers are the only point of contact for many people throughout the long hours of lockdown.
The positive contribution of retail workers to people’s mental health remains an undervalued aspect of this pandemic. Women of all ages have gone above and beyond the call of duty in helping people get through this difficult phase, and all by simply being kind, considerate and offering a friendly ear to people. This kind of contribution is part and parcel of why women in business – at all levels – needs to be appreciated for the significant contribution they make. Many of these female retail workers have the same concerns others working in a frontline service have. They went to work, worried about their own personal safety and that of their families. They must be applauded for their sterling work in ensuring that we had the food we needed when we needed it, and the company.