By Ray Birch
MADISON, Wis.—Tough conversations are just that—tough to initiate, and difficult conversations in the workplace can be even more difficult for women, according to CUES.
Seeking to address that issue and others, CUES has introduced RealTalk!, an online discussion series the organization said will cover important, but often hard to discuss, issues affecting credit unions.
The first series, which is delivered in four separate discussions, will address many of the issues women face in the workforce and how they can overcome obstacles that can hinder their growth and advancement, explained Dawn Abely, chief sales and member relations officer at CUES.
“In the workplace it can be difficult for women, more so than men, to begin the difficult conversations. That is, how do I tell my boss I'm feeling this way. How can I be vulnerable and not have it held against me,” said Abely. “I think that's part of the problem. We are seeing more articles on this important topic, but there is not enough being done, which is one reason we launched RealTalk!”
In the coming years Abely said RealTalk! will seek to address a wide range of workplace topics that are not easy to address—issues of concern to both men and women.
The upcoming segments explore four separate issues covering the theme “Women in the Workforce: Because $0.82 is NOT Enough.”
Over the next year the four sessions include:
- Session 1: The Great Resignation, Nov. 10, 2021
- Session 2: The Gender Pay Gap, March 16, 2022
- Session 3: The Confidence Gap, June 22, 2022
- Session 4: The Double Bind, Sept. 21, 2022
The Mass Exodus
Dawn Abely
Abely said CUES chose to focus on women’s workplace issues in the first RealTalk! series in part due to how the pandemic has led to a mass exodus of women from the workforce.
Data show 5.4 million women have left the workforce due to the pandemic, both voluntarily and involuntarily, reflecting one-million more jobs exited than men during the same period.
“Over the past couple of years we have seen extraordinary leadership from women in the industry, and we are an advocate for more women leaders within credit unions,” said Abely. “But now what's happening is many women have left the workforce during the pandemic over the last couple years.”
Abely explained women have given up their jobs for many reasons, including having to care for children as daycare centers closed, homeschooling needs arose and workplace stresses mounted.
“In October 2020 there were 2.2 million less women in the workforce than the previous year and that's just something that is alarming,” said Abely. “I'd like to emphasize that the conversations we're going to be having really start with the data.”
The first discussion, The Great Resignation, addresses why people are leaving the workforce.
“And, again, women in particular, and what it means to women as far as setbacks and how to keep women in the credit union industry,” Abely said.
The Confidence Gap session will discuss feelings of insecurity in the workplace.
“There's always this ‘Am I good enough?’ feeling. ‘Can I do this?’ it can be more prevalent in women than in men,” said Abely, observing that women sometimes lack confidence to apply for that next position, which hinders their advancement.
The Double Bind
The series also covers the pay difference between men and women in the workforce, as well as the “Double Bind.”
“This is the situation in which people can think, ‘Oh, she's too aggressive,’ or ‘She's not aggressive enough, therefore she doesn't have quite the leadership skills.’ So, it's never really enough. It's like three bears—that’s what the Double Bind session will really talk about,” explained Abely. “How do tell your story? How do you get your point across? How you can be heard and get a seat at the table without being hindered by the double bind? This affects women more than men.”
Moreover, when it comes to the gender pay gap, Abely pointed to U.S. Department of Labor statistics that show in 2021 women’s annual earnings were 82% of men.
“We all should believe in equal pay for equal work, therefore $.082 cents in not enough,” said Abely. “It now, on average, takes 15 months for a woman to make what a man makes in a year.”
Abely said all of the sessions are designed for men as well as women, adding that the more informed men are about issues affecting women in the workplace the greater chance these issues will be effectively addressed.
‘Actual Takeaways’
“We will provide women with actual takeaways and insights that will help them in their professional careers,” she said. “We hope that we can give women the tools, the confidence and the knowledge to have hard conversations, and to not be apologetic, to have agency over what they want to accomplish in their organization. That is really the goal.”
The free series will feature a panel discussion moderated by Laurie J. Maddalena of Envision Excellence. Each panel will be comprised of accomplished female leaders, experts, and professionals who will share their insights and experience. Each session will run 90 minutes, including 30 minutes for questions and discussion with attendees.
For info: cues.org/realtalk.