USU Extension News Release
Many state leaders boast that Utah is at the forefront of innovative and inspiring economic opportunities. However, research continues to confirm that many Utah women are not thriving in their workplaces. For the past nine years, Utah has been ranked WalletHub’s worst state for women’s equality at 48 out of 50 in “workplace environment.” This includes disparity in income levels and share of executive positions.
To address the complex challenge, in 2022, the Utah Governor’s Office of Economic Opportunity, the Utah Women & Leadership Project (UWLP), and the Cox–Henderson administration partnered to launch a one-year initiative titled “100 Companies Championing Women” (100 CCW). It was part of the “Inspire In Utah” campaign’s mandate to support women in the workplace at all levels, including entrepreneurship. Specifically, the 100 CCW highlighted Utah businesses that have incorporated family-friendly policies and practices and have implemented programs to improve recruiting, hiring, retaining, and advancing women employees and leaders. This brief summarizes the data collected during the second year of the campaign.
“Fortunately, many Utah companies are taking the lead in offering employee initiatives and benefits that are making a positive difference,” said Susan Madsen, founding director of the Utah Women & Leadership Project, who co-authored the report with UWLP Associate Director Kolene Anderson. “Highlighting the best practices of these organizations can help Utah’s employers better understand how to implement policies and create workplace cultures that support women and families.”
The 100 companies are from various industries, including finance, higher education, healthcare, insurance, law, manufacturing, marketing, nonprofit, technology, and retail. County locations include Salt Lake, 49%; Utah, 26%; Weber, 7%; Davis and Summit, 4%; and other counties throughout Utah, 10%. Nearly one-third had fewer employees than 24, and only 10% had 1,000 or more.
The most noted family-friendly policies and women-focused initiatives included flexible work hours and remote work, 98% and 91%, respectively; pay equity efforts, 89%; Utah companies working to diversify their managers and leaders at mid-to-senior levels, 84%; and paid family leave, 69%.
Regarding family-specific policies and benefits, the most noted were paid family leave, 69%; unpaid family leave, 64%; back-to-work maternity support, 58%; childcare support, 34%; and adoption and fertility benefits, 27%.
Childcare remains a top concern for women employed in Utah. Of organizations that offered childcare benefits, many offered flex spending accounts, childcare reimbursement, or cash bonuses for the birth of a child. Eight companies offer on-site childcare, and some even offer services to the surrounding community.
The most common flexible work policies and benefits offered by the 100 CCW included flexible hours, 98%; remote work, 91%; and part-time professional roles, 51%. Less commonly selected options included a compressed work week, 43%; part-time employment with benefits, 25%; and job sharing, 7%. For the second year in a row, flexible work hours were one of the top three benefits offered by companies.
“Research on the importance of implementing flexible and family-friendly workplace policies and practices has been well documented,” said Madsen. “There is a direct link between implementing these strategies and the retention and advancement of women. Analyzing the benefits, policies, and practices of the organizations listed in the 2024 100 CCW provides a sampling of what cutting-edge Utah businesses of all sizes are doing to support employees and their families and provides best practices other companies can consider.”
Recommendations include:
* Compare current offerings to see how they align with the report’s list of family-friendly policies and women-focused initiatives.
* Create more inclusive workplaces for women by thoughtfully considering how to effectively support employees and their families.
* Encourage workplaces in public entities (e.g., local and state governments, schools, and universities), to follow the same recommendations as businesses.
* Encourage legislators to consider and support research-based public policies that will help Utahns have more family-friendly workplace environments.
“We urge all businesses and entities to consider organizational-level strategies and programs, including family-friendly practices and policies, to support all employees and help them thrive,” concluded Madsen. “The representation of women in businesses around the state can be increased, which is important to ensure that more women and their families can thrive. Strengthening the impact of women will strengthen Utah’s economy and communities.”
To view the full report, click here. For further information about the UWLP, visit utwomen.org.