025 May 2022

Opportunities to promote women’s workforce participation during and post-pandemic

By Virginia Snyder – Amanda Beaujon Marin – Sisi Larrea

The situation we are experiencing due to the COVID-19 pandemic has demonstrated that telework (for those countries and companies where it has been possible) is a viable option. This, in the medium to long term, could and should promote an increase in female participation in the workforce, especially in male-dominated sectors.

Women around the world have shown that working from home is possible, even in the midst of a global crisis, when they are at the same time and in the same space serving as mothers, teachers, cooks, cleaners, caregivers, counsellors, home managers, nurses, artists and more, while also fulfilling their responsibilities as workers and under the stress that the context imposes on every human being because of the pandemic. In the energy sector, many jobs can be done remotely, including IT, human resources, business analysis, marketing, customer service, and purchasing, among others.

Now, will the situation of work and co-responsibility within the household improve, and will anything change after this health emergency? We could and should do our best to take this pandemic crisis and turn it into an opportunity and have a new beginning, which promotes a more equal society, where the pandemic can open up opportunities to transform us household and care responsibilities do not fall disproportionately on women.

What can the energy sector and many other sectors do?

The pandemic can open up opportunities to transform us:

1. Take into account women’s views and voices, their perspective and their situations. Strategies to revive economies and plans to return to the workplace must ensure that women are involved in decision-making processes.

2. Promote flexible human resources policies and promote work/life balance through tools such as teleworking, flexible working hours, reduced working hours or task-sharing among colleagues.

3. Do not undo what has already been done with policies that affect women in the workforce. Having a diverse workforce is one of the smartest business decisions, as it promotes creativity and innovation in work teams.

4. Encourage a redistribution of household and care responsibilities that is more equitable between women and men. As part of the efforts of ministries, companies and social responsibility offices, the co-responsibility of parents should be promoted much more, and equal benefits and opportunities should be offered to employees who are both mothers and fathers.

5. Companies can also promote positive masculinities among their employees by encouraging men’s participation in family responsibilities, such as child-rearing, housework, and care for adults and people with disabilities.

6. Equip teams with new technologies and help them be more productive and connected after COVID-19. Provide employees with digital, technological and productivity tools that help employees succeed while working remotely, considering that after the pandemic, some workers, especially women, will continue to care for the elderly or continue to work remotely while childcare facilities are not open.

7. Plan training courses for men and women in the sector on virtual platforms on technical, operational and professional topics, such as safety, employee management and professional development courses. Digitalisation will be key for the immediate future. If companies do not yet have the necessary digital skills, this is a time to prioritise these investments.

8. Strengthen links with universities and technical schools. Universities and technical schools, during the crisis, can collaborate in the development of training, workshops and courses necessary for companies to adapt quickly to the crisis and, at the same time, are a space to discuss the best actions to respond to the situation. In addition, they are an excellent place to recruit new employees during and after a crisis.

9. Analyse value chains. It is also worth looking in detail at the value chain of suppliers, from those offering cleaning services, food, spare parts, stationery, etc. How can the company help other smaller companies that are part of the value chain and services that also hire women? In times of crisis, many small businesses and suppliers are also facing financial difficulties and without support, they will not be able to overcome the crisis.

10. Last but not least, promote mechanisms to respond to increasing gender-based violence. Gender-based violence was already a problem in Latin America before the pandemic. However, confinement has increased reporting to hotlines, and companies can offer support to families in this situation.

In conclusion, electric companies must continue operating and take care of all their assets, but mainly their human capital or talent. Do not lose sight of the gender perspective. The rules of the game are already different. This pandemic is an opportunity to start transforming into a company of the future.