A look at the modern business woman

When women contribute to the business world, they often bring a fresh perspective that helps companies to accelerate their growth. Studies have demonstrated that gender diversity in corporate settings increases productivity and innovation.

What’s more, women tend to bring a more humane leadership style to the table, one based on inclusivity and the empowerment of marginalized voices. This open-minded and collaborative attitude has been shown to improve a corporate team’s performance, products, and decision-making.

Obstacles to overcome
Women continue to face numerous challenges in the business world. For one, the wage gap persists with full-time female employees making an average of $0.82 for every dollar earned by men in the same position. This disparity is even wider for women of color, Native American women, and recent immigrants.

Additionally, women in business are less likely than men to apply and be considered for management roles. Often, this is due to implicit or explicit bias among male employers. Another factor is the persistence of traditional gender roles among many couples, which leave women disproportionately responsible for childcare and household tasks. Without a proper support system, it’s difficult for women to strike a balance and advance in the workplace.

Yet despite these hurdles, many women are thriving in the business world, and companies, as well as communities, are the better for it.

Networking resources
Women in business often lack the support and funding that have allowed men to be successful. Here are a few of the business organizations in the United States that offer resources, knowledge, and encouragement to women.

• American Business Women’s Association (abwa.org)
• National Association for Female Executives (nafe.com)
• The Committee of 200 (c200.org)
• National Association of Women Business Owners (nawbo.org)
• Ellevate Network (ellevatenetwork.com)

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