#1 Get your staff involved in the #Breakthebias photo challenge for social media
"Imagine a gender equal world. A world free of bias, stereotypes and discrimination. A world that's diverse, equitable, and inclusive. A world where difference is valued and celebrated. Together we can forge women's equality. Collectively we can all #BreakTheBias."
This year the organisers of IWD are encouraging companies to get involved in the campaign by encouraging staff to take a photo of themselves striking the IWD 2022 pose and share your #BreakTheBias image, video, resources, presentation or articles on social media using the following hashtags #IWD2022 #BreakTheBias. The pose for this year is to simply cross your arms to show solidarity.
#2 Host or encourage your staff to attend online panel events
'If she can't see it, she can't be it'. Listening to women who have already travelled the path share their life experiences, knowledge, and expert advice is one of the best ways to get motivated to take action. This year, as most of the events will take place virtually instead of in-person, there are lots of great online events planned for International Women’s Day with great speaker line-ups.
As you’re planning your celebrations for your organisation, research some interesting events in your industry or community and encourage your staff to register with you. A great place to start is the International Women's Day Event Showcase Page where you can browse a multitude of events listed all across the world with an array of impressive speakers.
#3 Run a (virtual) coffee morning to honour your female employees
A virtual coffee morning is a simple virtual meet up you can implement on IWD to bond and catch up in the work setting. Why not introduce this years theme #breakthebias and get everyone to share their experiences about the inspirational woman in their life, or a female public figure they look up to?
#4 The value of a simple thank-you
Often left unsaid, we tend to forget the impact a simple 'thank you' can have on people. This is opportune time to thank and recognise the women in your team/organisation for their hard work and dedication. After all, it's really the small steps that matter and help in the bigger push for gender equality at the workplace. So, whether it's a thank-you card for your team, or simply an email or zoom call (like almost everything these days), it's really the thought and sincerity that counts.