If you have ever wondered why is International Women’s Day important, the answer is simple. Visibility drives change. For many Australian professionals, progress on gender equity can feel slow and abstract. Yet the impacts are real. Pay gaps, career interruptions, caring loads and health inequities affect energy, mental health and performance at work and at home.
International Women’s Day is a practical moment to reset goals, listen to lived experience and commit to actions that make workplaces safer, fairer and higher performing. When equality improves, teams communicate better, innovation rises and wellbeing lifts across the board.
In this article we explain what the day stands for, why it matters for health and performance, and how you and your organisation can turn intent into sustained action.
What is International Women’s Day?
International Women’s Day is a global day that recognises the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women, while calling for accelerated progress on equality. It is not a single event. It is a catalyst for ongoing action across the year. You can read more about its purpose from global leaders such as UN Women.
Why it Matters
Equality is not only a fairness issue. It is a performance and health imperative.
- Equity and wellbeing are linked. Psychological safety, fair policies and inclusive leadership reduce stress load and improve recovery, which supports better decision making, sleep quality and resilience.
- Progress is uneven. The World Economic Forum estimates it will take many decades to close the global gender gap without faster action, as shown in the Global Gender Gap Report.
- Australia still has gaps. The national gender pay gap persists, and women carry more unpaid care, influencing career trajectories and financial security. See the latest data from the Workplace Gender Equality Agency.
- Inclusion drives results. Organisations with greater gender diversity on teams and in leadership show higher likelihood of outperformance, as summarised in research on diversity and performance.
For individuals, the benefits include improved access to flexible work, safer cultures, and health support that reflects unique needs across life stages. For employers, equality improves talent attraction, engagement, creativity and risk management. This is why is International Women’s Day important for equality and inclusion at every level of an organisation.
How to Turn International Women’s Day into Lasting Progress
1. Start With Listening
Seek real stories from women across roles, ages and backgrounds. Listening builds trust and reveals barriers you might miss in a survey alone. Ask what is working, what is not, and what one change would help most right now. Capture themes and convert them into two or three practical commitments.
2. Audit Policies Through A Health And Performance Lens
Review flexible work, parental leave, caregiver support, return to work and leader behaviours. Policies are powerful when they reduce stress and decision fatigue. A clear process for flexibility can improve focus and reduce burnout risk. Our guide on supporting women’s wellbeing in the workplace outlines priority areas to review.
3. Build Psychological Safety
Teams perform best when people can raise issues without fear. Psychological safety reduces cognitive load and frees mental energy for problem solving. Leaders can improve this by asking more open questions, acknowledging trade offs and closing the loop on feedback. Explore practical steps in our article on building psychological safety through leadership.
4. Make Healthy Routines Easy
Energy supports equity. When workloads are intense and care demands are high, simple routines matter. Encourage movement breaks, realistic meeting lengths, and protected focus time. These reduce stress hormones and improve clarity. For quick wins at work, see nutrition tips at work and desk exercises that fit a busy day.
5. Invest In Inclusive Leadership Skills
Leaders shape culture more than any policy. Skills like active listening, empathy and consistent boundary setting signal what is valued. Even small changes from leaders can lift engagement and retention. If you are a manager, begin with our guide to compassionate leadership.
6. Measure What Matters And Report Back
Set clear goals across participation in development, flexibility uptake, promotion and representation. Share progress quarterly. Transparency builds momentum and keeps the focus beyond one day in March. Learn how to choose the right indicators in our article on lead indicators for wellbeing.
7. Support Health Across Life Stages
Women navigate unique stages that influence performance, including menstrual health, fertility, pregnancy, postpartum and menopause. Normalise conversations, offer evidence based education and create access to qualified support. A tailored approach reduces time off and supports sustained contribution.
For Workplaces
What Can Employers do?
- Set clear intent: Share why equality and inclusion matter for performance, culture and risk, then outline two or three commitments for the next quarter.
- Resource leaders: Provide training in inclusive leadership, workload management and recognition so managers can apply policies with confidence.
- Design for flexibility: Offer predictable flexibility options and advertise them in role descriptions to normalise uptake for all genders.
- Close gaps with data: Track pay, promotion, exit and flexibility metrics by level and function, then act on hotspots.
- Support health education: Run sessions on energy, stress and life stage health that are inclusive and practical. Consider a series rather than a single talk.
- Build safe channels: Provide multiple reporting and support pathways for concerns, and make confidentiality explicit.
- Amplify diverse voices: Create forums for employee resource groups to shape policy and review communications. For ideas, see our conversation on diversity and inclusion.
A Simple Personal Action Plan
1. Clarify Your Ask
Write one change you need to perform at your best, such as a regular focus block or a mid afternoon break. Share it with your manager and suggest a two week trial.
2. Protect Energy Anchors
Book three non-negotiables in your calendar for the next fortnight. Examples include a ten minute walk after lunch, a balanced breakfast and a device free wind down. These small anchors stabilise blood sugar and stress response, which improves mood and clarity.
3. Find An Ally
Invite a colleague to a monthly check in to review progress on flexibility or wellbeing habits. Peer accountability makes change easier and more consistent.
4. Speak Up Early
If workload or culture is impacting your health, raise it early with solutions in mind. Frame the request around outcomes and propose options. This signals ownership and helps leaders act.
Key Takeaways
- International Women’s Day matters because awareness drives meaningful action on equality and inclusion.
- Inclusive cultures reduce stress and improve clarity, energy and performance for everyone.
- Progress accelerates when organisations listen, set clear goals and report back on changes.
- Leaders are multipliers. Small, consistent behaviours from managers build trust and momentum.
- Health education and flexible design support women across life stages and lift retention.
- Start now with one personal action and one team commitment, then review in two weeks.
If you want expert support to turn intent into an inclusive wellbeing strategy that boosts performance, get in touch with Better Being.
