We have successfully held the first event on June 3rd, and we were so happy that representatives from different businesses have joined together and support the importance of creating better workplaces for everyone and supporting professional women. Do you still remember the speeches given by Womentors’ Co-founder Maru Blanca, Guest of Honour Connie Lau, SBS, JP and the founder of Dignity Kitchen, Koh Seng Choon? Let’s recall their inspiring messages together!
Maru: Ways to help women - Diversity and Inclusion
You may wonder, how can companies help working women? Actually, we can achieve gender equality from the beginning of recruitment!
First, we should understand that Quotas don’t automate inclusion. It is important for employers to take an honest look at the end-to-end employee experience, with an eye toward creating conditions that promote inclusion on a daily basis and designing ways to measure the impact.
Secondly, it is important to renew training and make it interesting, looking at the company through different lenses, and following up on the training.
Thirdly, there should be an Integration between different functions. Communication is always the key to success. By working together, employees can work as a team and move towards the same goals.
Connie: Balancing work and health
Have you ever worked overtime in order to finish all tasks on hand? I tried several times! However, this is not healthy.
According to Connie, ’the median age of breast cancer patients was 57 in Hong Kong’. When compared with other countries like the United States (median age is 62) and Australia (median age is 60), we have a more serious record. Therefore, we should take actions to balance our life and work. Here are some tips:
First, regular exercise. Moderate exercise for at least 4 hours a week helps reduce the risk of breast cancer or recurrence.
Second, avoid smoking. Smoking is known to be harmful, which can trigger lung cancer and breast cancer but also damages the cardiovascular system.
Third, limit alcohol consumption. Limiting alcohol consumption helps reduce the risk of breast cancer. It is suggested that daily alcohol consumption should be no more than one can of beer or 150ml of table wine.
Koh: Lend a hand to the needy
I believe that many of you may have heard of Dignity Kitchen from newspaper and TV. Koh started the business to help underprivileged people. It is very difficult to train up this group of people, however, Koh tells you it is not the case. Below are 4 steps closer to harmony:
First, companies can provide training. Companies can design different training materials for the disabled, by taking up different duties. Through continuous practices, they can learn and improve.
Second, employment. After the disabled master the skills, why not give them employment opportunities? Hiring them can give them the biggest support and can encourage them to be more confident.
Third, a suitable environment. We can make changes on the working environment so that the disabled can work more conveniently. For example, redesign the machines and tools. We should also treat them as normal people, and should not contempt them.
Fourth, inclusion. No one is perfect, so it is important for us to understand them when they make mistakes.
The success of the event depends on all speakers and guests. Let's bring some of our learnings and insights from the event back to our own organization to build better workplaces together.
For more photos and video recap of the event, please visit our media page. To follow what we do at Womentors, please subscribe to our mailing list or email us at hello@womentors.co