Today is International Women’s Day

Today is International Women’s Day – a day to celebrate the advancement of women across the world.

And I don’t like being a party pooper, but if I am honest, there seems to be so little to celebrate…

Our governments have failed us women horribly in putting an end to the white, heteronormative patriarchy that’s leading the workforce across the globe. And, yes, some governments have or are in the process of enacting some helpful laws and tools, such as pay transparency laws and quota for the number of women on company boards. But those laws aren’t doing all that much though, are they?

It will take at least 132 years to reach gender equality, according to the WEF’s Global Gender Gap Report 2022.

And if we were hoping that instead private initiatives would lead to the advancement of more women in the workforce, we’d be sorely disappointed. Company boards have let us down consistently, too. The numbers showcasing that the broken career rung and the glass ceiling are still firmly in place.

And on this important day, there’s so little hard action, so little hard commitment from those company boards.

Lots of pink washing.

Lots of lovely, feel good lunches and panels.

Lots of generic praise and warm, fuzzy words for women.

None of which will make a genuinely, discernible difference in the lives of women.

What a missed opportunity.

Because women being kept small at work isn’t just bad for principled reasons, but for very real, very painful personal ones, too.

I don’t need to explain the frustration and demotivation that comes from being overlooked and passed over for promotions that you very much deserve – you know that feeling all too well.

You’re also leaving a ton of money on the table if you are underpaid.

Even small differences lead to huge numbers over time, as you add compound interest to the equation. If you are a woman working in the western world, we’re talking hundreds of thousands to millions of EUR / USD over the course of your career.

Money you cannot invest in yourself, your family, your future.

Money that you are due (because we all know your work is at least as good as the boy colleague next door), but which you fail to get.

To really hammer home just how much we’re actually talking about, I have asked my tech team to build a salary calculator that allows you to see how much exactly you are missing out on / you could be making if you were paid fairly.

My hope for a more equal future is grounded in personal action. My WINners show themselves, me and the whole damn world every single day just how real, sweeping change is possible, and how it’s done. My WINners don’t rely on legislation or company boards to give them what they deserve – they know better than to give their power away.

So, you know what? On this Internal Women’s Day, may you have the courage and strength of a WINner to take your future into your own hands!