At Refocus, an online education technology company, female leaders and students are empowered and recognized.
And as talks on gender equality and inclusivity in the workplace continue, Refocus shares key insights from three of its members and students on how they personally define women empowerment and how vital it is in setting the necessary foundation to an inclusive work environment.
Defining women empowerment
The context of empowering women shifts within society due to different experiences and world views. For some, it means uplifting women’s sense of self-worth and allowing women to have equal privileges and rights. For others, it is about inclusivity where job opportunities and education are accessible to anyone, no matter what life stage one is at.
Monica Lerit, Digital Marketing Manager and Refocus Mentor, says women empowerment “entails acknowledging and knowing one’s own value, the ability to develop and create opportunities, the ability to stand firm in one’s own decisions, and the power to form a movement – influencing and leading others.”
Ella Blando, Refocus’ Sales Manager, notes that having more women break the mold would also break barriers for corporate jobs and businesses.
Employees, she says, feel positive when they have women in the workplace who contribute to a calmer working environment.
“Women leaders tend to create a more structured organization and flow which increases employee retention rate,” she adds.
Having an inclusive community for women in education means being able to hold a safe space where ideas, opposing views, and differing opinions can be expressed.
Hanna Felipe, a student of Refocus, says this “doesn’t mean there’s no creative abrasion involved. The best ideas come where everyone agrees to disagree.”
Refocus is continuously making an effort to support their internal and external stakeholders toward women empowerment initiatives.
“At the moment, we have 70 employees in our company, of whom 60 percent are women. This shows that we are moving in the right direction in terms of equality between men and women, shares Karina Arushtova, Head of Learning Experience Design.
She adds there are still opportunities at Refocus’ high-level management that women can take on as she expresses hope gender balance in the company will improve in the future to represent more women in C-level positions.
“We have a career center that helps with employment equally for both men and women. We look for companies that need employees and help our students make the most of the professional requirements they offer – no matter what gender you are,” emphasizes Arushtova.
To learn more about Refocus and the various efforts they have, visit their website or their Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn or YouTube pages.