This Women’s History Month, we’re celebrating the 2025 International Women’s Day theme, #AccelerateAction, by spotlighting the power of women to inspire and lead change. We’re proud to support the next generation of leaders by giving our young talent on the team the opportunity to take the reins on this week’s content.

English Literature student Kashvi Cox has bold dreams to find a career in feature writing. So, throughout the week, she will share five insightful pieces - one each day - focused on how women are advancing equity, innovation, and progress across industries. This project reflects our commitment to fostering growth, creativity, and leadership at every level.

Follow along as we explore her powerful stories and celebrate the actions that are shaping a brighter, more inclusive future. Let’s accelerate action together!..

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Progress towards gender parity has been too slow.

There are many women out there who want to accelerate their careers but struggle due to a lack of workplace flexibility. There is also a problem with the working environment these women are entering into.

This must change.

We need to focus on the strategies that we can use to Accelerate Action by changing workplace culture for the better.

Flexibility and Inclusion

During the pandemic there was a worldwide shift to remote working for almost everyone. After the initial adjustment period, this new mode of working did have its benefits. Remote working allowed people to spend more time with family, to exercise more regularly, and to get outdoors during daylight hours.

This has been proven to have a positive effect on productivity, with teleworkers being 35-40% more productive than their office counterparts on average.

Remote working also provides a great opportunity for women wanting to accelerate their careers whilst caring for a family. Promotions and advancement in careers often come with longer working hours or weekend work. It is difficult to have this while also prioritising family life and having children.

Remote working allows women the option to work from home and simultaneously advance in their career.

"55% of women said they had either left their job due to lack of flexible working."

According to a global survey, 55% of women said they had either left their job (25%) or considered leaving their job (31%) due to lack of flexible working. Among other adjustments like part-time or staggered hours, flexible working means having the option of working from home.

The Women in the Workplace 2024 report by McKinsey & Company suggests that remote or hybrid working options should be a common practice that all companies should employ to achieve diversity, equality and inclusion (DEI) targets.

Maintaining a Positive Culture

While remote or hybrid working can give women the opportunity to progress in their careers, maintaining a positive work culture will help these women to feel that their work is valued. Women should feel as if their skills are being utilised, and their voices heard.

In a recent Panelle article, Sara Tokars writes about the power of empathy in leadership roles. Emotional intelligence is often disregarded, and this is a barrier that a lot of women face when it comes to making their voices heard. We have all heard the stereotype of women being ‘too emotional’, but Tokars suggests that these emotions can be an asset.

We must cultivate a workplace culture that is always ready to listen and that acknowledges the power of emotional intelligence. This will create a positive working environment for women where they feel comfortable and speak up.

This is the only way we can ensure the efforts towards gender parity are not lost, providing a solid foundation from which we can ‘Accelerate Action’ for the women of tomorrow.  

Salesforce brilliantly demonstrates a way of building this kind of positive workplace culture. In 2023 they hosted an event that celebrated women in tech. The event featured panel discussions and encouraged networking, therefore inspiring growth.

Having an event dedicated to celebrating the skills and value of women in the tech industry shows the company’s desire to make meaningful change.

Inspiring and Encouraging

"The number of women in leadership positions rose from 32% in 2015 to just 37% in 2024."

In the last decade, the number of women in leadership positions rose from 32% in 2015 to just 37% in 2024. This is not good enough; progress is far too slow. To combat this we must encourage women and boost confidence from the very start of their careers. I want to use my journey at Panelle as an example of how mentoring schemes can inspire confidence and give younger women the chance to grow.

I will cover more about my personal story in the final article of this week, but for now I want to focus on the benefits of these support schemes.

Firstly, being able to talk to my mentor, knowing that she is well versed in the field of journalism, has been a hugely beneficial experience. In weekly meetings, I ask questions and discuss how to refine my articles.

One of the best parts of this experience for me has been receiving written feedback on all my articles, which has helped me develop my voice and techniques that I take forward in my career. In such a fast-paced and technology-driven world, having these connections with other people is so important when it comes to fostering growth in a positive way.  

We must act now to protect and accelerate the progress towards gender equality in the workplace. By celebrating the work that women are doing and using schemes such as mentoring and support networks to inspire the women of tomorrow, change is possible. This is the only way forward.

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