How small businesses can support female employees this International Women’s Day

International Women’s Day is an opportunity to recognise the achievements of women across all industries and to reflect on the progress still needed to achieve workplace equality.  

Workplaces have changed significantly over the last few decades, yet many women still face barriers that affect career progression, earnings, and workplace experience. 

For small businesses, addressing these challenges isn’t just about compliance, it improves recruitment and onboarding, retention, productivity, and reputation. 

Creating an inclusive environment helps businesses attract and keep talented employees while meeting both legal and ethical obligations. 

Current workplace challenges 

While progress has been made, research continues to show differences in how men and women experience work, including: 

• Ongoing reports of workplace harassment. 
• An ongoing gender pay gap across sectors and seniority levels (12.8% overall, 6.9% for full-time employees). 
• Women are concentrated in lower-paid industries, with 77% of health and social care roles and 70% of education roles held by women. 
• Higher rates of part-time work for women due to caring responsibilities. 
• Underrepresentation in senior leadership; only 14% of SMEs are run by women. 

These patterns highlight the ongoing barriers women may face in the workplace. Addressing them is crucial for retaining talent, improving morale, and fostering a productive business culture. 

What small businesses can do 

Keep employment policies up to date

Strong, compliant policies protect both employers and employees. Many legal protections relate to caring responsibilities, which disproportionately affect women. 

Key policies should include: 

• Maternity, paternity, and adoption leave 
• Carers and dependent leave 
• Parental leave 
• Flexible working procedures 

Regular policy reviews ensure compliance with current employment legislation and reduce risk. 

Offer flexible working where possible

Flexible working arrangements can improve retention and performance. Hybrid schedules, adjusted hours, or remote work can help employees manage caring responsibilities without leaving the workforce. 

The focus should be on practical solutions that work for both business operations and employee wellbeing.   

Ensure fair recruitment and progression 

Employers should review recruitment processes to minimise bias and widen access to opportunities. 

Practical steps include: 

• Reviewing job adverts for gender-coded language.  
• Using structured interview criteria. 
• Considering anonymised applications. 
• Monitoring pay and progression data.
• Supporting health conditions that impact attendance or performance, including menopause and menstrual health, helps employees feel seen and valued. 

Fair processes strengthen trust and improve talent pipelines. 

Maintain a safe and respectful workplace 

Employers have a duty to protect staff from harassment and inappropriate conduct. 

This includes: 

• Clear behavioural standards. 
• Leadership modelling expected conduct. 
• Prompt response to complaints. 
• Transparent reporting channels. 
• Regular training. 

All workers are entitled to a safe working environment.  Research indicates that many women continue to experience challenges around workplace safety, underscoring the importance of clear policies, training, and reporting procedures. A safe environment reduces legal risk and improves morale and productivity. 

Support sustainable work–life balance 

Employees perform best when workloads and personal responsibilities are manageable. This applies to all staff, not just women. Setting realistic expectations around working hours and leave supports long-term engagement and reduces burnout. 

Why this matters 

Small businesses employ millions of people and play a major role in shaping workplace culture. Inclusive practices: 

• Improve recruitment and retention. 
• Reduce legal and reputational risk. 
• Increase productivity. 
• Strengthen employee loyalty. 
• Support long-term business growth. 

These trends show that women still face barriers in pay, progression, and workplace safety, making inclusive policies and supportive practices a practical business priority. Supporting women at work is good business practice. 

Staying compliant and supported with SafeHR 

SafeHR helps small businesses implement policies and practices that are legally compliant and operationally effective: 

• Policy development and updates. 
• Guidance on flexible working and family leave. 
• Workplace investigations and grievance handling. 
• Training on respectful conduct and compliance. 
• Ongoing HR advice aligned with current legislation. 

By combining compliance with practical guidance, SafeHR helps businesses foster workplaces where all employees can thrive. Integrating SafeHR principles not only reduces legal risk but also reinforces a positive workplace culture. This International Women’s Day, small businesses can reflect on how their workplace culture supports female employees and take practical steps that create lasting impact. Even small changes can drive meaningful progress while strengthening long-term business success.