International Women’s Day is this week. Here are our tips on how firms can prepare, avoid a PR blunder on the day, and what Byfield does to support gender equality.
Internal Comms/Operations:
This week, it would be prudent for business development and marketing teams to assess how they are preparing to commemorate the day and to avoid any PR blunders!
The first point of call is to ensure that your initiatives and statistics are accurate, up to date and honest. For example, are you aware of the percentage of female employees? What is the retention rate of female trainees? Do you carry out HR procedures such as free sanitary products for employees? All these need to be reviewed before sharing external comms.
Once you’ve fact-checked the firm’s data, organise your internal strategy. Potential ideas include: presentations on the wider concerns of misogyny in the workplace, recognition of historical successes and failings, or providing female employees with the opportunity to speak and discuss their experiences in traditionally male dominated environment (not withstanding that this should happen every day!).
This internal work will then aid external communications. Don’t create a crisis for the firm by fabricating an image. The key is to be honest about the areas for improvement alongside successes.
External Comms:
A good way of celebrating International Women’s Day is to share the stories from your employees from all areas of the firm on all online channels – this includes social media, online partner profiles and perhaps a series of podcast episodes. Let the stories be as natural, personal, and authentic as possible. The external communications can include input from male employees, to discuss how more firmwide messaging on initiatives for creating gender equality at work.
After the Day:
It is important to note that the initiatives around women’s international day are not just marketing, but an opportunity to reflect on your firm’s culture and what still needs to be addressed going forward.
What Byfield Does:
Within Byfield, we foster an environment which encourages women to project their voice in the legal and litigation PR world. This is reflected in our two under thirty women directors, Tsuey and Beth, who have been with the company for almost seven years and five years respectively. Furthermore, over half our employees are female, not due to a data driven motive but rather our equal opportunities and meritocratic mentality.
Conclusion:
The most important message to take from this is to ensure that you’re honest with your messaging around International Women’s Day. Talk about your successes, past failings, and ways to improve. Don’t just see this day as a singular event – this an opportunity to reflect, promote further discussion and action initiatives which might otherwise be left at the wayside.
