Release:
November 4, 2020

Women of NATE Today Newsletter
Volume 2, Issue 10

With Thanksgiving just around the corner, it is typical for me to take extra pause to count my blessings. And strangely enough, even more so this year. There have been so many tragic events this year from COVID-19 to hurricanes, wildfires and everything life has thrown us. The obvious thing to say is “2020 should be canceled” or “This year can’t be over quick enough”. We all want our “normal” lives back. And I whole heartedly agree. But it isn’t all bad. Let us pause a moment to reflect on some good things that have come out of this unprecedented year. I have seen evidence of unprecedented celebrations, love and kindness shown to frontline, other essential workers and to people in general. There are examples of heartwarming acts of kindness, people working together to accomplish great things, using innovation and the human spirit to find new ways of doing what needs to be done, taking time to better care for ourselves and spending more time with people we care about, just to name a few. These are blessings, my friends, those little things that provide the greatest moments.

Amid our current chaos, yes, I count my blessings, the biggest and the smallest. I am thankful for the friends I have met through NATE and WON. I know I keep saying “thankful”. But thankfulness humbles me and drives me to be the best version of me. This month’s issue of the newsletter highlights the gender gap through the article “Minding the Gap”. This is an important issue. As a woman working in our male dominated industry, I realize I have the ability, the influence, and the heart to lift up other women and help them become the best version of themselves and to bring more women into the fold and mentor them on how to become highly effective women. That is exactly what we are doing in WON’s Mentorship Program. We have an amazing group of mentors and mentees that give their time, expertise, and experiences to build up other women. How? Why? Because we/they are thankful for the opportunities they have been given along the way. They want to share it, give back, and pay it forward. That is my kind of hero and I am thankful for them.

Be the light that shines brighter. Have the heart that loves deeper. Show the strength that is within you. Be thankful and pass it on. 

Christy Hall is a member of the Women of NATE Committee and Vice President of Texoma Contracting, Inc. in Muskogee, Oklahoma. She can be reached at chall@texomainc.com.

WON Profile: Loui McCurley

Where will you find the Women of NATE?

Take Women of NATE with you!

Are you traveling for work or taking a leisure vacation? Take a creative photo holding a Women of NATE (WON) logo in front of a landmark that lets us know where you are. 

Upcoming Events

Women of NATE (WON) is proud to announce the establishment of the WON Education Scholarship. The scholarship was designed to encourage and inspire more women to enter the tower and communications infrastructure construction, service and maintenance industries.

Women play a prominent role as leaders and visionaries in the advancement of wireless and broadcast communications. Through the establishment of the WON initiative, the Association is proud to recognize the vital contributions of men and women in the diverse tower and communications infrastructure industry. Two separate scholarships valued up to $1,000 each may be awarded to two different applicants.

To stay apprised of recent event updates and to view the most comprehensive events listing visit the NATE WIN (Wireless Industry Network) website at www.natewin.org. 

Recent Event Highlights

Congratulations to Women of NATE Committee Member
Jeanne Piercey!

At the Canadian Wireless Telecommunications Association (CWTA)/STAC's annual meeting held on October 21, 2020, Jeanne Piercey was awarded with STAC's first Annual Volunteer of the Year Award.

Jeanne has been instrumental in the development of two different STAC committees: the Women of STAC Committee and the Industry Workforce and Development Committee. Having taken on the lead position of both of these committees, Jeanne has also been instrumental to their work, including the inaugural Women of STAC Bursary project and the Industry Workforce Committee’s efforts to lead the development of tower climber training courses at Canadian colleges. 

Please join us in thanking Jeanne for her efforts to advance the safety of all tower workers in Canada.

    Minding the Gap: Will the Current Crisis Diminish the Quest for Gender Parity

In times of crisis, economic considerations and shareholder value can tend to overshadow the movement toward diversity and equitable inclusion. Certainly, progress toward gender parity was already at a standstill in the United States before the disruptions of COVID-19 and the disparate job loss of women and minority women.-1 Data compiled in 2019 by the World Economic Forum (WEF) in its Global Gender Gap Report 2020, indicates that the country has so far closed 72.4% of its gender gap in 2019, a similar overall score to the previous year – and dropped two positions in the WEF’s global ranking, becoming 53rd on the list. (For reference, the U.S. scored 23rd in 2006.)-2

While monetary disparities are the main source of gender inequality in the workplace, according to the WEF report, labor force participation and the presence of women in skilled and senior positions are relatively better. American women however, still struggle to enter the very top business positions. They are also underrepresented in emerging roles, such as cloud computing, engineering, data, artificial intelligence, and in political leadership roles as well.-3

At all levels, 11.5 million women in the U.S. lost their jobs from February to May of this year compared with 9 million men because of business closures intended to stop the spread of COVID-19.-4 As companies restructure their businesses and realign resources, both women and minority women may find themselves pushed out or at the least stalled in their upward movement. Some women are stepping away from jobs and careers, by necessity or choice, often still faced with the role of primary caregiver for children (and now their home-school teacher), even in dual-earning households.

The U.S. is not alone in its gender disparity and the unequal economic burden to women and minority women. More than just the right thing to do, acting to redress this imbalance, even in the midst of the pandemic, could result in substantial economic opportunity. A report from the McKinsey Global Institute estimates that interventions now, rather than waiting till later, could lead to $13 trillion in incremental GDP by 2030 — an 11% increase globally.-5

More than diversity and inclusion: Workplace equity matters too

Despite the current situation, there are companies that continue to strive to achieve parity, viewing this goal as fundamental to their mission and their success. Though diversity, equity, and inclusion are sometimes used interchangeably, these words not only have distinct meanings, but all three are essential components to ensure a company has access to a wide range of perspectives, talents, and ideas.

Defining the Differences

Diversity – The makeup of your workforce, which ideally comprises individuals who represent multiple races, gender identification, socioeconomic status, sexual orientation, religious affiliation, ethnicities, national origins, and mental and physical abilities.

Inclusion – The value of your workforce. Thoughts, ideas, and perspectives of all individuals matter, and people feel that they genuinely belong, are valued and relied upon, empowered and ultimately matter.

Equity vs. equality – The fairness of your workforce. Equity, unlike equality, recognizes that not everyone starts out the same and corrects imbalances to bridge the gap between minority and majority groups.

References

1-“Women’s Job Losses From Pandemic Aren’t Good for Economic Recovery” by Sarah Chaney, The Wall Street Journal, June 21, 2020 https://www.wsj.com/articles/womens-job-losses-from-pandemic-arent-good-for-economic-recovery-11592745164.

2-Global Gender GapReport 2020 by World Economic Forum, 2019 http://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_GGGR_2020.pdf.

3-Ibid https://www.weforum.org/reports/gender-gap-2020-report-100-years-pay-equality/infographics#the-workplace-seniority-gap; https://www.weforum.org/reports/gender-gap-2020-report-100-years-pay-equality/infographics#how-do-we-reach-gender-parity-in-the-professions-of-the-futur; https://www.weforum.org/reports/gender-gap-2020-report-100-years-pay-equality/infographics#women-s-political-empowerment.

4-“The ‘shecession’: why economic crisis is affecting women more than men” by Amanda Holpuch, The Institute for Women’s Policy Research (IWPR), The Guardian, August 4, 2020 https://www.theguardian.com/business/2020/aug/04/shecession-coronavirus-pandemic-economic-fallout-women.

5-“COVID-19 and gender equality: Countering the regressive effects” by Anu Madgavkar, Mekala Krishnan, Olivia White, and Deepa Mahajan, McKinsey Global Institute, July 15, 2020 https://www.mckinsey.com/featured-insights/future-of-work/covid-19-and-gender-equality-countering-the-regressive-effects#.

Please send recipes with photos to Nikki Gronau at nikki@natehome.com.

How to Get Involved with Women of NATE

Become Involved with Women of NATE:

• Sign up as a Women of NATE Participant
• Join the WON Mentorship Program as a Mentor or Mentee
• WON Event Sponsorship Opportunities
• Attend and Sponsor the 2021 WON Leadership Summit – Thursday, September 23, 2021 in Chicago, Illinois
• Subscribe to the WON Newsletter – Women of NATE Today
  - Send in photos for “Where will you find the Women of NATE” section
  - Submit articles
  - Send in photos of events you have attended 
  - Send submissions to nikki@natehome.com
• Engage with WON on social media platforms by liking, sharing and submitting items to be posted (listed below)
• Attend WON hosted webinars
• Join WON for an Open Call (twice a year)
• Network with WON at the Meet & Greet at NATE UNITE
• Join WON for a group photo opportunity at NATE UNITE
• Visit the WON booth at NATE UNITE
• Join WON at the annual TFF golf event (WON is a hole sponsor)
• Attend industry event that WON members are presenting at, sponsoring, and/or exhibiting
• Submit suggestions or ideas for upcoming WON events or programs
• WON Education Scholarship