Uplifting Women in the Workplace
In today’s world, the fight for gender equality has made significant strides. However, there is still much ground to cover, especially when it comes to equal pay for women. International Equal Pay Day serves as a poignant reminder of the gender pay gap that continues to persist worldwide.
It’s a day to reflect on the importance of uplifting women in the workplace and to highlight the importance of not only supporting, but championing gender equality in the workplace.
Understanding International Equal Pay Day
Observed on September 18th each year, this day is a global initiative that sheds light on the disparities in wages between men and women. The date symbolizes the point in the year when, on average, women start working for free compared to their male counterparts. This discrepancy is a stark reminder that, despite advancements in gender equality, wage disparities persist.
While the gender pay gap is a complex issue rooted in social, cultural, and economic factors, it affects women of all backgrounds and industries, often limiting their financial independence and overall career progression. To truly achieve gender equality, it is crucial to address and rectify this imbalance through conscious efforts.
The Importance of Uplifting Women in the Workplace
At Glovo, we believe that diverse teams are more innovative, creative, and effective. When women are given equal opportunities and paid fairly, it benefits not only the women themselves but also our organization society as a whole. Uplifting women in the workplace can lead to economic growth, offers diverse perspectives, helps to retain top talent, and ensures social equity.
In order to give women a path to success, we developed the LeaderSHE program, our global mentorship program aimed at providing the women at Glovo with career development opportunities and creating a pipeline of women leaders.
Participants of the 2021 edition of the LeaderSHE program
Through this program, mentees from different departments receive a combination of mentoring, training, workshops, peer support and networking opportunities. Our goal is that mentees will gain and develop their skills, feel ready for broader responsibilities and high impact projects, feel confident in their abilities, and spread their learnings to others in their professional circle.
Gaia Olcese, the Head of Category Management Italy and 1 of 200 2023 graduates of the program, mentions that her experience in the LeaderSHE program has “empowered [her] to become a stronger leader.” She goes on to say that “…the LeaderShe Program has given me a clearer path towards my goals in my professional career. Also, it led me to develop skills I learned during the program through conversations with my mentor and with other peers. Finally, it made me feel included as a talent in a program that enabled me to also get the promotion I was strongly working towards, and I am proud to have become part of an all-feminine leadership team.”
Bridging the Gender Pay Gap
International Equal Pay Day serves as an important reminder of the ongoing work needed to achieve gender equality in the workplace. Organizations have a responsibility to create an equal work environment that values and compensates employees fairly, regardless of gender. While this is just a small step, to ensure equal pay among our employees, we perform an annual audit of all salaries and correct the ones that are unbalanced in order to level the playing field.
By promoting equal opportunities, ensuring pay transparency, implementing diversity and inclusion initiatives, and conducting regular pay equity audits, companies can actively contribute to bridging the gender pay gap and fostering an inclusive workplace where everyone has an equal chance to succeed. Together, we can build a future where equal pay is a reality for all.