March is Women’s History Month, which is a great time to celebrate women in the workforce, and particularly, the women in your organization. Every year, we honor Women’s History in March and reflect on the impact women have had in the past, and present, and what women are doing to make the future a better place for all. As part of Women’s History Month, March 8^th is designated as International Women’s Day, where achievements by women from all around the world are celebrated.

Many organizations today are led by women in a variety of roles and a record number of companies are led by female CEOs. According to the Department of Labor, women currently makeup 46.6% of the workforce. And based on the female labor force participation rate of 56.8%, this is the highest percentage of women participation since the start of the pandemic. No matter the role in a company, women are a huge part of the workforce and a tremendous force in companies around the globe. According to Incifile, 42% of all U.S. businesses are owned by women (nearly 13 million). When women are empowered, everyone wins.

There are many different steps you can take during Women’s History Month and International Women’s Day to support and celebrate the women in your life, communities, and around the world:

1. Show and provide support to women-owned businesses (big and small). The next time you’re looking for the perfect gift for someone, running out for some groceries, or even needing to purchase something for your office or coworkers, consider supporting local women-owned businesses.
2. If you or your company utilizes social media, spread awareness about women entrepreneurs, co-coworkers, and women-owned businesses by highlighting their products and/or services through sharing information and posts on your platform.
3. Donate to organizations, nonprofits, and charities working to empower women and girls. One exciting (and delicious) way to do this is to buy girl scout cookies from the Girl Scouts of Greater New York – Troop 6000, which is a Girl Scouts Program that helps to support girls in the Shelter System of New York City. Girl Scouts help young women develop life and professional skills that they can carry on to their future endeavors and careers.
4. Support women authors and artists by watching women-centric movies, reading books, and checking out their artwork. With all the streaming services available to us, it’s easy to seek out and enjoy a women-directed movie or a movie celebrating legendary women. There are also plenty of books written by women and artwork to be inspired by. According to the National Endowment for the Arts, ways to support women in art include visiting institutions (in person or online) that exhibit work by women and also learning more about women artists and their work.

Women have fought for progress for centuries and will continue to do so. These are just some ideas that will encourage different conversations, create a more inclusive environment, and make an impact during Women’s History Month.

As a Woman Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC) certified company and Supplier Diversity Office (SDO) certified Minority and Women Business Enterprise (M/WBE) business, JOHNLEONARD strives to continue to learn and be aware of the many obstacles women face today in the world and workplace because of their gender. We are committed in March and every month to providing and supporting a diverse, equitable, and inclusive workplace for everyone.

To see what we’re up to during Women’s History Month, follow us on Instagram @jlemployment.