Recruiting and Retaining Women through Education Benefits

As we celebrate International Women’s Month, it’s no secret that gender inequality can cause gaps in pay and advancement. “Historically, women have had difficulty acceding to positions of leadership in the workplace,” says Constance St. Germain, Ed.D, provost and senior vice president of academic affairs at Capella University. 

“There are many reasons: a tradition of men in leadership positions, a lack of family-friendly policies that directly impact women during their childbearing years, and the hidden, sometimes overt, beliefs, norms, and stereotypes that create gender prejudice.”  

And lingering effects from the pandemic have impacted women in the workplace as well – from loss of tenure and professional development opportunities as women stepped away from work due to lack of childcare to job losses that disproportionately impacted industries dominated by female employment. So, what can companies do to retain and promote talented and hardworking women? 

Attract and keep loyal leaders

Education benefits are a compelling hook for employees to stay with their companies. Employers know that strategically investing in employee education and skill development can drive organizational performance, culture, and retention. And a culture of support helps companies better compete for—and win—a diversity of talent in their employee base. By expanding access to education and training opportunities, companies can provide compelling value for current (and future) female employees. 

According to a recent survey, 81% of current learners receiving financial support from their employers agree that financial support for their education is an important part of their decision to stay at their employer. And 83% agree that it positively impacts their likelihood to recommend their employer to a friend.* 

By recruiting and retaining women with education benefits, employers can create a talent pipeline for female leadership that supports their diversity initiatives. 

*2021 Jobs for the Future Survey, commissioned by Strategic Education, Inc. 

Offer flexible, meaningful work

In addition to skill development, St. Germain outlines the steps organizations can take to develop and retain women leaders.

• Identify challenges (e.g., credibility, managing up) and needed competencies (e.g., strategic thinking). 
• Recognize conscious or unconscious biases that directly impact women in the organization.
• Provide flexibility (e.g., parental leave policies, hybrid work, flextime) and a network of support that empowers women’s professional development as unique individuals.  

For example, as flexibility has become more important to working women, offering remote and hybrid work and education opportunities can help to further diversify and retain quality leaders. 

“Companies can give women more leadership opportunities and retain the women they do have by creating a culture where women can bring their authentic selves to work,” says St. Germaine. “Ensure they are provided professional development opportunities tailored to their unique needs, [guaranteeing] equity in promotion opportunities and pay, and providing flexibility around how, when, and where the work is done." 

Train managers to support employees

“Studies consistently validate that women are less likely to be promoted to leadership positions despite outperforming their male counterparts, leading to a gender promotion gap,” says St. Germain. 

“Key reasons include systemic biases about women’s future potential and gender stereotypes. Gender bias is rarely overt—microaggression is more subtle, nuanced, and clandestine.”  

To overcome this challenge in promoting qualified women candidates, employers and managers can be diligent about identifying and training future leaders with company-sponsored learning support. 

Education benefits can offer high-potential employees ways to advance their skills - and can support working women's career mobility with training and credentialing opportunities that may help to close advancement gaps. 

For managers, this means identifying and coaching women on their teams to pursue programs and training that fit their schedules and budget. Additionally, company-wide leadership should value remote and hybrid learning credentials that allow their female employees flexibility and support in their professional development. 

“There is no one-size-fits-all approach,” St. Germain says. “By making the above investments in women through education and training, organizations can better support their pipeline of current and future women leaders.” 

To learn more about how Workforce Edge can help support the talent goals in your organization, contact us here.