Mark International Women’s Day by connecting with others…

THIS year has been difficult for all of us. We have all coped differently in our own way, some better than others. This year’s International Women’s Day is a great opportunity to reach out and connect with other women in your circle that are finding things difficult.

The slogan may be ‘we’re all in this together’ but the way in which each of us, as individuals, deal with adversity is totally different. Women have made huge strides in the past decade in the workplace; they have revolutionised the workplace and changed attitudes towards them. But while some women have succeeded, others have yet to make the leap. This may be due to a lack of opportunity or self-confidence.

It’s important to be aware of the need to help other women succeed in the business and workplace sector. All success stories are underscored to some degree by a moment of intervention; a time in life when someone listened, believed, and helped.

Make International Women’s Day 2021 about extending opportunities to other women. It’s about listening and connecting.

ONE of the most progressive ways in which women in the workplace can make a positive difference this International Women’s Day is by supporting a local charity that supports local women.

Making a difference to a worthy cause that is committed to helping women manage difficult situations in their lives is one of the most self-fulfilling contributions you can make.

All across Cork there are some fantastic charity organisations that have been put under severe pressure during the pandemic as fundraising sources have come to a halt due to physical distancing rules. This would not only make a nice gesture, but it will also contribute significantly to a charitable organisation supporting women

– either locally or nationally.

These charities do trojan work helping women who suffer abuse, poverty and in the fight for gender equality and women’s rights. A good way to make this part of a stand-alone International Women’s Day event is to gather all the women in your workplace together on a zoom call. Ask their opinions on what charities should be chosen; ask why they feel it is worthy of supporting; try to create a wider discussion around the charities about what they do and why they do it.

Another good idea is to contact a representative from a chosen women’s charity and ask them to talk about their work. This is an enlightening exercise that will help educate your workforce on the difficulties faced by other women in society.

IT is a well-known fact that women are adaptable and highly capable when it comes to multitasking. Many great women already care for their children at home, a task made more difficult by the fact kids were home from school with little time for respite due to Covid.

Also deserving of praise are the thousands of working women who suddenly found themselves at home struggling to cope with double the workload. This was and remains a

IT is a well-known fact that women are adaptable and highly capable when it comes to multitasking. Many great women already care for their children at home, a task made more difficult by the fact kids were home from school with little time for respite due to Covid.

Also deserving of praise are the thousands of working women who suddenly found themselves at home struggling to cope with double the workload. This was and remains a difficult task, especially when there was little or no template for how this would work when the pandemic struck.

All of a sudden working woman were faced with having to multitask in a way that caused stress and added pressure on the home and work life balance. Being detached from the workplace and minding children intermittently while meeting work deadlines is not easy.

As we celebrate International Women’s Day it is worth acknowledging that working moms managed to achieve the impossible this past year. Being a parent at precisely the same time that you are working is a seismic feat, one that needs to be lauded for its excellence in the middle of a turbulent spell for women and their families.

LISTOWEL Family Resource Centre Manager Jackie Landers and her team have put down one of the most difficult 12-months in the Centre’s history due to Covid and the uncertainty it has created. The majority of Family Resource Centres (FRCs) in the county are predominantly run by women, who help make a fundamental difference to the lives of people in the community.

Since June, Jackie and her fellow FRC workers have been minding children of frontline staff and essential workers, as well as being on hand to help with a broad range of community supports. This service is invaluable and raises the question: ‘why is it that so many women are trend setters when it comes to social advocacy?’

“This is just my personal view but is social change and community development associated with one gender over another?” said Jackie.

“Is it more geared towards females in terms of us being cited as having this caring and more compassionate side, as opposed to males? Women come with a particular set of skills that include parenting, planning, flexibility, and financial management of the home. All of this leads directly into a workplace in a positive way,” said Jackie.

Jackie also asks if men and women hold contrasting opinions regarding organisational hierarchy. Salary is another stand out issue for women in the community and voluntary sector that is ‘exceptional poor’ according to Jackie. She believes a male/female balance in the sector is needed.

“I think males and females work well together and come from different perspectives. This may even lead to a better plan being put in place for families and communities,” she says.

Lastly, Jackie praised the enormous effort put in by women, in particular, across FRCs since the pandemic struck 12 months ago.

“I would have to say, speaking for our own staff in Listowel FRC, it’s been exceptional…we have worked outside of our action and strategic plan. We have the ability to be flexible, and to respond, and to react. Even though we always try to be pro-active, with a pandemic like this the reactive hat goes on, looking at what is going on around us and working with other organisations to help us. It’s been a challenge that we have met head-on,” Jackie said.