Editor’s note: This content is sponsored by Accenture and was produced by BrandRap, the sales and marketing arm of Rappler. No member of the news and editorial team participated in the production of this piece.

Every March – when we celebrate National Women’s Month – we turn to our own businesses and workplaces to focus on our progress on gender equality, while we highlight women and their triumphs.

In line with this, Accenture conducted a study focused on understanding the employee experiences of women.

Here are a few key findings: 

The pandemic hit women the hardest

Since the onset of the pandemic, women have been taking on more responsibilities at home and facing employment challenges.

Women are significantly less Net Better Off

Through its Net Better Off framework, Accenture Research interviewed 33 workers in May 2020 and surveyed 6,998 workers and 3,520 customers between September and November 2020. They were from multiple global organizations operating in seven different industries: banking, insurance, healthcare, government, retail, telecommunications, and utilities, and are based in 14 countries within four regions: North America, Europe, and Africa, Asia Pacific, and Latin America. The study was focused on how improving their experiences helped meet their needs across six key dimensions: financial, emotional and mental, relational, physical, purposeful, and employable. 

According to the report, women shared that they receive significantly less support from their employers than workers overall in the traditional moments that matter like onboarding, compensation, and life events, with 29% of women reporting low support compared to 26% overall.  

20% of women also reported dissatisfaction with their job compared to 17% overall. 

Need to maximize what drives human potential for women

The study then noted that it is then imperative to create an inclusive organization where women can thrive by ensuring that women truly belong in it. 

To do so, leaders must implement concrete ways workplaces can maximize what drives human potential for women. This includes empowering women to make decisions about their own work and providing skilling and advancement opportunities that support women’s career goals. 

Anchoring on the results of this study, Accenture in the Philippines organized a series of virtual events and activities to celebrate International Women’s Day under the theme of “Accelerating Equality for All” with the goal of driving positive change and inspiring meaningful actions toward gender equality from their people, clients, and communities.

Driving inclusion and belonging to support women

Through an equality dialogue and a masterclass on designing for inclusion, the company reinforced how women, male allies, and everyone can better support women from all walks of life and in all aspects. 

In a forum entitled Action Fuels Belonging – How to Maximize Human Potential and Progress, Accenture and industry business leaders discussed the value of driving inclusion and belonging in the workplace, at home, and in society, and inspired allies on how to better support women. Hosted by news anchor, columnist, and financial literacy advocate Danie Laurel, it was attended by Accenture employees, external partners, and public viewers.

Watch it here: