Breaking Barriers: Celebrating Women in the Workplace on International Women’s Day
Are we really breaking the glass ceiling – or just patching the cracks?
On International Women’s Day, organisations around the world take a moment to spotlight and celebrate women’s achievements. But beyond the empowering hashtags and panel talks, a pressing question remains:
Are we creating sustainable change for women in the workplace – or simply applauding survival in a system that still wasn’t built for them?
Let’s talk about what real celebration and inclusion look like – and how companies can walk the talk.
The Reality Check: Women at Work in 2025
While there’s no denying progress, the data paints a sobering picture:
-In the UK, only 8% of CEOs in the FTSE 100 are women (Gov.uk, 2024).
–47% of working women say they feel unsupported during major life transitions like menopause or maternity leave (CIPD, 2023).
-Women, particularly women of colour and disabled women, are still underrepresented in leadership and overrepresented in lower-paid roles.
We’re not lacking talent. We’re lacking systems that allow all women to thrive.
What Does True Empowerment Look Like?
It’s more than cupcakes and celebration posts. Empowerment is policy, not pinkwashing. Here’s how real change shows up:
✅ Inclusive Policies
–Flexible working that actually flexes — without career penalties.
–Menopause and maternity policies that are human, not just legal tick boxes.
-Transparent promotion pipelines to tackle the leadership gap.
✅ Leadership That Reflects
Diversity at the top matters. It’s not just symbolic – diverse leadership drives innovation, retention, and performance.
✅ Psychological Safety
Workplaces must be safe spaces for women to speak up, set boundaries, and challenge bias – without fear of judgement or dismissal.
🌍 Spotlight on Intersectionality
Not all women experience the workplace the same way.
Being a woman with ADHD. A Muslim woman. A Black disabled woman. Each layer adds complexity – and often, extra barriers.
This International Women’s Day, inclusion must mean intersectionality. One-size-fits-all doesn’t cut it anymore.
How Your Organisation Can Start Breaking Barriers
–Audit your culture. Who’s speaking? Who’s being interrupted? Who’s not in the room at all?
–Listen to women – not just in focus groups, but in everyday decision-making.
–Partner with experts. Inclusion isn’t a side hustle – bring in professionals who live and breathe workplace equality.
–Don’t wait for permission – lead the change from wherever you sit.
Celebrating Loudly, Acting Boldly
Celebrating women is important – but changing systems is essential.
Whether you’re in HR, leadership, or just starting out, you have the power to shift the narrative.
This International Women’s Day, let’s not just break barriers.
Let’s bulldoze the ones still standing – and rebuild workplaces that work for everyone.
Ready to turn awareness into action?
👉 Book CorpWell’s Inclusive Leadership workshops and wellbeing sessions tailored for women and non-binary professionals.
👉 Need support designing equitable policies that actually work? Let’s chat: www.corp-well.com
