New research to suggests women increasingly want employers to move beyond symbolic gestures and demonstrate real support through workplace policies, benefits and leadership opportunities.
As the world marks International Women’s Day (IWD) under the theme “Rights. Justice. Action.”, new research suggests many women believe workplaces still treat the day more as a celebration than a catalyst for meaningful change.
The survey of Canadian workers, conducted by benefits consultancy Benchmark Benefits, highlights a growing disconnect between the symbolism of IWD and the everyday realities women experience at work. The findings suggest that while many employees welcome IWD recognition, they increasingly want employers to focus less on symbolic gestures and more on measurable, year-round support.
The research also reinforces a theme emerging across this year’s International Women’s Day conversations: real progress on gender equality depends on structural change in workplaces. Recent analysis also shows that organisations play a central role in determining whether gender equality commitments translate into real opportunities for women.
CELEBRATION VS ACCOUNTABILITY
The survey highlights a clear gap between workplace recognition and workplace reality. While 57% of Canadian women say International Women’s Day initiatives can have a positive impact in the workplace, nearly two-thirds (64%) believe employers treat the day more as a celebration than as an opportunity to evaluate how they actually support women.
Transparency also emerged as a key issue. Three-quarters (75%) of women surveyed say companies should be more open about how they are supporting female employees.
The results suggest that symbolic gestures – from panel events to social media campaigns – are no longer enough. Instead, employees increasingly expect organisations to demonstrate tangible progress.
WORKPLACE SUPPORT
According to the survey, dissatisfaction with workplace benefits and policies is one of the main reasons women feel employers are not doing enough. Among women with workplace benefits:
- 40% say they are dissatisfied with their current benefits package
- 47% say they have delayed or avoided healthcare because they lacked adequate benefits
- More than one in ten say they have left a job because of inadequate workplace benefits
For many respondents, workplace policies matter far more than symbolic recognition. Eighty-three percent of women surveyed said meaningful workplace benefits are more important than International Women’s Day gestures.
WHAT EMPLOYERS SHOULD PRIORITISE
The survey highlights several benefits women say should be standard in modern workplaces. They include:
- Comprehensive mental health support (91%)
- Preventative health coverage for women (87%)
- Caregiving support for dependants or elderly relatives (87%)
- Flexible or reduced work schedules (82%)
- Menopause treatment and hormone therapy coverage (79%)
- Employer-funded parental leave top-ups (78%)
These priorities reflect what many experts describe as the structural realities shaping women’s careers, including caregiving responsibilities, health needs and work-life balance. They also reinforce the growing argument that gender equality in the workplace requires organisations to rethink how benefits, policies and career progression frameworks are designed.
REAL SUPPORT MATTERS
Gisela Carere, President of Benchmark Benefits, says the findings show that women increasingly expect companies to back up their commitments with action. “International Women’s Day should be a checkpoint, not a checkbox,” she says. “Our findings show women can tell the difference between celebration and real support. Benefits are one of the most concrete ways employers can demonstrate support. When coverage, leave policies and flexibility don’t reflect women’s real-life stages, the gap between intention and impact becomes obvious.”
Carere adds that policies supporting mental health, caregiving and menopause are not “perks” but essential components of inclusive workplaces. “When employers invest in these areas, they’re not just enhancing a package – they’re building a workplace that meaningfully recognises how women move through the world.”
BETTER ACCESS TO OPPORTUNITY
The findings also echo broader conversations taking place globally this International Women’s Day. As explored in Fair Play Talks’ leadership feature – where 25 global leaders shared their perspectives on gender equality – many argue that progress now depends on how organisations redesign workplace systems, not simply how they celebrate equality.
Several leaders highlighted the need for structural change in leadership pipelines, workplace policies and access to opportunity. These discussions also connect to the #GiveToGain campaign, which encourages organisations to move beyond symbolic support for equality by actively creating opportunities for women through sponsorship, mentorship and leadership investment.
The research highlights a broader shift in how employees are evaluating workplace equality initiatives. Increasingly, organisations are being judged not by their International Women’s Day campaigns, but by their policies on:
- parental leave
- healthcare coverage
- flexible working
- caregiving support
- leadership progression
In other words, gender equality is increasingly becoming a workplace design issue, not just a cultural one. For employers, that means International Women’s Day may be evolving from a moment of celebration into something more demanding: a moment of accountability.
HOW EMPLOYERS CAN BECOME MORE ACCOUNTABILITY
So how can employers become more accountable? Employers or organisations looking to move beyond symbolic gestures, experts say International Women’s Day can serve as a useful moment to assess whether workplace policies genuinely support gender equality.
Based on the survey findings – and wider conversations taking place this year around the “Rights. Justice. Action.” theme – several practical steps can help employers translate commitments into meaningful change.
1. Audit workplace benefits through a gender lens
The research highlights a clear message: women value tangible workplace benefits more than symbolic recognition. Benefits that reflect real life stages can play a critical role in retaining and supporting female talent.
Employers should regularly review whether their benefits packages reflect the realities of women’s working lives, including:
- mental health support
- preventative healthcare coverage
- menopause support
- parental leave and childcare support
- eldercare assistance
2. Be transparent about progress
With 75% of women saying companies should be more open about how they support women, transparency is increasingly seen as essential. Transparency helps organisations demonstrate that their commitment to equality goes beyond communications campaigns. Employers can build trust by reporting publicly on metrics such as:
- gender pay gaps
- promotion and leadership representation
- parental leave uptake
- retention rates
3. Focus on leadership pipelines, not just representation
Several leaders interviewed by Fair Play Talks emphasised that boardroom representation alone is not enough. Without a strong pipeline, progress at senior levels can quickly stall. Organisations should focus on building sustainable leadership pipelines by:
- investing in sponsorship and mentorship programmes
- identifying high-potential female talent early
- ensuring equal access to leadership opportunities
- reviewing promotion processes for bias
4. Recognise the impact of caregiving responsibilities
Care responsibilities remain one of the biggest structural barriers to gender equality in the workplace. Policies such as flexible working, remote work options and caregiving support can significantly improve retention and career progression for women.
5. Treat International Women’s Day as a checkpoint, not a campaign
Ultimately, the research suggests employees are looking for something simple: evidence that organisations are serious about equality year-round. Rather than focusing solely on events or campaigns, employers can use International Women’s Day as a moment to ask a more fundamental question: Are our workplace systems designed to support women’s careers, or simply celebrate them once a year?
If International Women’s Day is to remain relevant in today’s workplaces, the message from women is clear: celebration matters – but accountability matters more.
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