Marissa Poole

With the demonstrated value of women in leadership roles, there is urgency to reverse this trend. Our next challenges are close at hand – the fourth wave of COVID and the potential for a “Great Resignation” – and gender balanced leadership is essential to a resilient response. How can businesses, government and academia engage female leaders to remain in the workforce when the demands on women have never been greater?

In reflecting on my own leadership journey, as well as in discussions with my peers and colleagues, I believe we need to prioritize three areas to support the development and engagement of female leaders:

1. Maintaining a flexible work environment.While employees will be facing common challenges, there is rarely a universal solution that will address all needs. Providing flexibility for how, when and where work is done enables employees to navigate competing demands. Further, ensuring parental leave policies are inclusive and gender neutral, allows caregiving duties to be balanced between parents.
2. Connection and mentorship.Creating formalized networks for women to connect with mentors, sponsors and peers relieves the burden of independently developing those critical professional relationships. These connections are necessary for navigating both personal and professional challenges. At Sanofi, our Elevate program is a network for our talented female colleagues that ensures they have the leadership skills and the exposure necessary for continued professional growth. Our employee resource groups (such as WISE, MOSAIC, ParentsConnect and PrideConnect) also offer mentorship and networking opportunities to support female, BIPOC and LGBQT+ colleagues. These forums are essential to provide a trusted and inclusive environment and ensure a strong pipeline of talent to support diversifying our leadership teams.
3. Empathy and mental health support.Indisputably, our return to office in the coming months will be a major shift for all. Leading with empathy during this transition is important for employees to feel heard and understood. Establishing formal, accessible mental health tools and resources– including, providing coverage for mental health services as well as virtual care – are also important for employees who may struggle with the transition and juggling personal and professional responsibilities.

The pandemic will continue to have an indelible impact on all leaders – and I’m encouraged and inspired by the critical role that women will play in leadership as we look to the future. It is now our collective responsibility to ensure we have the right strategy and resources in place today to guarantee sustainability for all our leaders and employees going forward.