You don’t have to look far to find books and articles with advice for females looking to climb the corporate ladder. Management experts, career coaches, and leadership gurus all have techniques, advice, and popular spins on how to make it to the top! It’s no surprise. Compelling reasons exist for company leaders to hire and retain women in executive-level positions. Organizational theorists have written about leadership strengths of women, which are perceived as different from the strengths of men.

So often as a woman in business I am asked why we should promote just that: the advancement of women and the acknowledgement that women are in roles at the top and in key roles in the middle and upper.

Years of salary freezes, benefit cuts and layoffs mean employees have been working harder for less compensation.  The job market was tight so they couldn’t do anything about it, but now that pent up frustration is ready to explode.

Recent surveys indicate that a full 81% of your workforce might be in play. As many as 60% of your workforce intend to leave this year, and another 21% are networking to keep their options open.*  

I have survivor’s guilt as I watch talented friends lose their jobs. But I applaud the businesses that realize this is the most critical time to support working families.

I don’t know a single company in this country that hasn’t had to make cuts, both in staff and operating budgets, to survive this historic economic crisis.

Working Mother Magazine is proud to recognize the 2009 Heroines in Technology.  These outstanding women will be honored at a fundraising event on November 13 hosted by Women in Technology and March of Dimes.  For more information, visit Heroines in Technology.   This week we highlight 2009 Heroines in Technology finalists Marie Johns, Shameka McCaskill, and Kerri Wilson.
 
Marie Johns
Consultant
Leftwich and Ludaway

Carol Evans is the President of Working Mother Media and an expert on work-life policy.