Today - March 8th - is International Women’s Day and while there are still plenty of virtual events and talks being held to celebrate the fight for equality and the progression of women’s roles in business, these past 12 months have unfortunately made a sizable dent in women’s role in the workplace.
The Covid-19 pandemic has affected all aspects of life, especially our work lives. Businesses have been shut down, jobs have been lost, industries have been decimated - and that’s only just some of the economic impacts of the virus. With most businesses now operating remotely, this has created a huge shift in the way in which we work. While such a shift would be manageable in normal times over a phased implementation, these sudden changes have upended how we work and just as importantly, negatively impacted women’s role in the workforce.
With schools shut down, many parents have faced the near impossible tasks of homeschooling while simultaneously attempting to work full-time. As women are still traditionally placed in caregiver and domestic roles in households, they are the ones who have suffered the brunt of this current reality as they are left responsible for the well-being of children or elderly/ill relatives. As a result of the pandemic, millions of women have been forced out of the workforce due to the pressures of intensified childcare and responsibilities.
In the US, nearly 3 million women left the workforce according to a report by CBS News. In a Mckinsey study, the data revealed that 1 in 4 women are considering downshifting their careers or leaving the workforce entirely as a result of the economic and emotional effects of the pandemic.
With such huge numbers of women being forced out of the workforce, corporations are now facing a leadership drain and generations of hard work for gender diversity in the boardroom are increasingly rolled back for women in the workplace. If companies don’t make significant changes to how they operate in terms of flexibility and retainment, women will continue to drop out of the workforce - even with improvements in the pandemic in the later stages of 2021.
How is Franchising an Alternative Option?
If the traditional career paths for women stagnate, many instead turn to entrepreneurship to take control of their future. As a result, franchising and opening their own businesses, is an alternative option for women who feel undervalued and underappreciated in their work lives.
Even before the pandemic, women chose to join a franchise for the opportunity to work from home and have an opportunity to create their own schedule, meaning that in the current climate, franchising is already primed to suit those women who have felt they have lacked the necessary support and flexibility from their employers.
Additionally, franchising also allows for entrepreneurs to increase their earning potential as franchises have demonstrated their sustainability and have a demonstrable history of profit, thus putting a franchisee in an excellent position to achieve start-up collateral.
With a wealth of resources and support available from the parent company, starting up a new franchise branch is a collaborative effort and takes pressure off the franchisee to establish a both a brand and a target audience. Unlike smaller, independent businesses, a franchise has a proven track record and model, allowing for greater success when it comes to generating profit.
While women traditionally have gone into franchises such as health & beauty, education and childcare, there are unlimited franchise opportunities available across the UK in every industry to choose from that will provide the excitement and challenge needed to become your own boss.
This years’ campaign theme for International Women’s Day is #ChoosetoChallenge, and while these last 12 months have presented women with some of the toughest challenges of their lives, they certainly are not going to give up the fight for equality and diversity in the workplace.
The drive and ambition to become a business owner has not been dampened. Now is the perfect time to take charge of your life and create the career that you want.
Happy International Women's Day.
If you are eager to start your franchise journey, why not begin by browsing our variety of franchise opportunities
TODAY!