Some research says on average we can read 250 words per minute. If that’s true – or even close – I promise to keep my thoughts to about a minute for each Monday Morning Minute post.

March is Women’s History Month – a celebration of a journey – an opportunity to reflect – a chance to consider the future. Women represented just 30% of the U.S. workforce in 1950. Today the percentage hovers around 48% and is projected to remain in that range. So almost half the jobs are, and are expected to be, held by women. Does that matter? I think so.

In Women in the Workplace 2018, McKinsey & LeanIn.org reported that over half the women in the workplace are faced regularly with microaggressions – the sometimes subtle and sometimes not so subtle signs, signals and behaviors of disrespect. Women of color and lesbian women encounter an even greater number of these interactions than their other female counterparts. While harmful and demeaning in the moment, these experiences inflict even greater damage over time – resulting in disengagement and feeling they are being treated unfairly.

So, yes, women have “come a long way” – as a 1968 cigarette ad professed. And the journey continues. Respect in the workplace IS about eliminating discriminatory practices. And it’s more than that. It’s about creating workspaces that honor and appreciate all members of the team. We can get there. After all look how far we’ve come!

Check out Women in the Workplace 2018 and contact Talent Dimensions for information about the Choosing Respect learning program.