Women often lead the charge in domestic duties such as childcare, eldercare, household chores, and the often-invisible emotional labour of managing family dynamics.
In terms of community involvement, women’s contributions are just as crucial, from volunteering at school functions to engaging in charity work and offering informal community support.
These efforts are key to sustaining community networks and social support systems.
However, there’s also a societal expectation at play.
Women are frequently expected to contribute our time and expertise without any financial compensation.
This prevalent expectation underlines a wider societal issue where women’s time and expertise are undervalued. Is this phenomenon exclusive to women?
Unlikely.
However, reflecting on a myriad of similar disparities, it’s a safe bet that this issue disproportionately affects women more than men.
In a recent discussion with a cohort of senior New Zealand businesswomen, I inquired whether they frequently found themselves being solicited to offer their time and expertise without compensation.
The unanimous affirmation of this trend was striking.
While a significant number were amenable to sharing their knowledge pro bono for events with a community focus, there was an undeniable undercurrent of discontent. A number of these professionals expressed feeling shortchanged, their valuable time seemingly taken for granted.
The resounding feedback was that if it was a ticketed event, part of the ticket should recognise the time and effort of the speaker.
While many speakers, myself included, choose to donate any speaking fees to charitable causes, this practice should stem from personal choice, not imposed expectation.
Delving deeper, many highlighted the substantial commitment involved in these engagements.
The preparation for an event, coupled with travel time and the actual duration of speaking, with some stating this was up to 20 hours of work.
This substantial investment of time, all without remuneration, underscored a pervasive issue: The considerable undervaluation of women’s professional contributions in such contexts.
This brings me to a poignant question this International Women’s Day: “Did you ask a woman to speak for free on International Women’s Day?”
If you’re an association or a non-profit, this might be understandable, but alarmingly, too many for-profit companies are seeking women’s expertise without offering compensation.
This practice not only undermines the value of women’s contributions but also perpetuates the gender disparities we witness today.
Recent studies, including the McKinsey Women in the Workplace 2023 report, show how this unpaid labour limits women’s career progression and contributes to the gender pay gap.
For instance, in the United Kingdom, women dedicate an average of four hours per day to unpaid work, compared to just over two hours for men.
This disparity is a significant barrier to women’s advancement into leadership roles and broader professional growth.
In light of these revelations, there’s a pressing need for businesses to take a long, hard look in the mirror this International Women’s Day.
Valuing a woman’s time is not just about equity; it’s about respect and taking a stand against the systemic barriers that perpetuate gender disparities.
Businesses should ask themselves whether they are part of the problem or part of the solution.
Are they perpetuating outdated norms by expecting free contributions from women, or are they leading the charge in recognising and compensating women fairly for their expertise and time?
This International Women’s Day, let’s commit to more than just recognition — let’s take actionable steps to ensure that women are valued and compensated equitably across all aspects of their professional and personal contributions.
Cecilia Robinson is founder and co-CEO at Tend.
