Gender Equity in the Workplace

This workshop will explore the messages we all received growing up about gender and how those messages continue to influence our attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors today. We will review terms related to gender and discuss gender norms through facilitated small-group conversations. Participants will dive deeper into the concept of implicit bias and learn about microaggressions or “everyday bias” that frequently shows up in more subtle ways. Finally, participants will learn how to be good allies and practice “ready responses” that can be used to interrupt bias.

Did you know job seekers spend just 49.7 seconds reviewing a listing before deciding it’s not a fit? What do potential employees see when they visit your job listings? This workshop will provide a brief recap of the economic benefits of workplace diversity and provide tools and strategies for attracting diverse candidates to your company or organization. We will review internal and external messaging, effective job descriptions, and best practices for interviewing for diversity. Lastly, we will talk about some benefits and supports that help to create a “human-friendly” workplace that will make any employee want to stay for the long haul!

Vermont Works for Women is available to help employers and organizations assess the working environment for women and gender-expansive individuals in their companies and advise or make recommendations for improvements. Through a series of confidential focus groups with employees, we gather information about how they experience the workspace as women and gender-expansive folks, what is going well, and what could improve. We then provide this feedback with recommendations to the management team.

ERGs provide spaces for networking, mentorship, and professional development, help to attract and retain employees, increase employee satisfaction, provide an engaging and fulfilling work experience, and help create more inclusive workplaces. VWW will help businesses initiate and establish ERGs that promote gender equity, diversity, and inclusion in the workplace and identify leaders with the capacity and interest in maintaining group momentum.

Gender Equity Advancement Roundtable (GEAR) is a space for businesses, nonprofits, schools, and advocates to learn about best practices and policies for supporting women in the workplace. For a one-time annual fee, GEAR members are invited to four learning sessions each year where they hear from equity experts, access resources and tools, and network with other employers who are working to implement equity and inclusion into their everyday operations.