The She-Covery Project looks at the disproportionate economic impact that the COVID-19 crisis is having on women. The project was led by Claudia Dessanti, a Senior Policy Analyst for the Ontario Chamber of Commerce with various research partners including the Women Entrepreneurship Knowledge Hub, Ted Rogers School of Management, the Diversity Institution, as well as the Government of Canada.
The She-Covery Project outlined five critical steps to achieve a successful "she-covery" including having leadership and accountability, child care requirements, workforce development, flexible work arrangements, and an inclusive entrepreneurial ecosystem. Lastly, the project states that "the long-term impacts of COVID-19 on women in the workforce remains unknown. However, with women’s labor force participation at a record low, decades of progress towards gender equality are at stake."
Image Credit: The She-Covery Project
What's Driving This Trend
- Gendered Job Loss
- Innovative solutions to address disproportionate job loss among women due to COVID-19 can be explored through targeted training programs, women-centered job placements, and flexible work arrangements.
- Child Care Support
- Opportunities for innovative solutions to address the child care needs of working women and mothers through alternative child care arrangements, workplace accommodations, and remote work arrangements.
- Inclusive Entrepreneurship
- Innovative programs can be established to provide increased support from governments and private organizations for women-led businesses and to create more inclusive and equitable entrepreneurial environments for women.
Who This Affects Most
- Human Resources
- The human resources industry can explore innovative work arrangements and training programs to support the retention and advancement of female employees and to mitigate the impact of gendered job loss.
- Child Care Services
- Child care service providers can innovate their business models to cater to the needs of working women and mothers by developing alternative child care arrangements such as on-site daycare centers or drop-in centers.
- Entrepreneurship and Small Business
- Innovative government policies and private sector initiatives can be developed to create more equitable and inclusive entrepreneurial ecosystems for women-owned businesses and startups.
