As I was reading Tiffany Grandchamp’s blog post, “It's Time to Revalue the "doing" of Women in the Workplace,” a nerve was struck. In this post, Grandchamp details a long history of women as “doers,” and how this has derived from their traditional role in the home and now extends to the workplace. Many social scientists have researched the effects of the second shift or the mental load women experience as they try to be the ultimate doers - managing a household while building a career while taking care of themselves while being a friend, daughter, and more.
I know a lot of women who are tired of being the doers. Particularly now that we are in month 18 of a global pandemic where social and governmental systems are failing women and families. And some women are pushing back against the “do it all” narrative quite simply because it’s not healthy, it’s not sustainable, and it’s holding women back. But the issue is systemic. As Grandchamp states, organizations have an important role to play in ensuring women have access to leadership roles that honor their contributions and pay them appropriately. Besides the gender pay gap, the gender leadership gap is a significant barrier to women achieving parity with men in the workplace. An added dimension of these gaps is the fact that women of color face more challenges while advancing their careers than white women.
Women can’t change deeply entrenched gender biases on their own. They need allies. The good news is most men want to be part of the solution. So, what does that look like in practice? Here are the three best ways men can help shoulder the load:
1. Don’t take credit f