Release:
April 5, 2023

Women of NATE Today Newsletter
Volume 5, Issue 4

Today, women are asked to balance everything from our checkbooks to kids and family, and then try to elevate their own careers. Sometimes it seems like we are on an island of our own with little to no direction. This month's article from Shama Hyder on: "Why Women Aren't Coming Back to Work, and How Leaders Can Fix it," hits home.

As CEO of one of the largest mobile tower manufacturers in the U.S., balancing work, family, and career seems to be an art. I have learned over the years that women are expected to rise to each occasion with balance and grace when many times we are at the edge of despair.  

As a woman leader, I need to identify women who need a hand-up and offer support. The choice of reentering the workforce may have some women pumping the breaks. The high cost of daycare, lack of flexibility, and unclear path for advancement may be part of the reason after COVID many are deciding to not reengage in the workforce.

One out of four women who became unemployed during the pandemic reported the job loss was due to a lack of childcare, twice the rate of men surveyed. 

When I hear these statistics, I ask myself, in my organization how am I making it easier for women to reengage in the workforce? One way I have addressed this is by creating a more flexible work environment. We know that afterschool care is an issue, so we have flexible time that employees can take off early and work from home to make up the hours missed. The focus from hours worked, to work performed and those results, is what is most important at Solaris Technologies; and I believe most organizations are recognizing this as well. When women can create balance with their families, the results are positive for both parties.

Another alarming statistic is that 66% of women reported a lack of a clear path forward in TECH positions.

With only two black women CEOs of Fortune 500 companies and only 10% of C Suite leaders as women, it becomes hard to see a path for advancement in our world of high tech and competition. When I see these statistics, I have to ask myself: what am I doing to change these numbers?

I am familiar with looking around and seeing no one like me in the room. Now, after 30 years in the business, things are slowly changing -  especially in my boardroom. The ability to have diverse leadership is important to growing your business. As we look at expanding our footprint, women can bring skills that our male counterparts don't have. We are generally more empathic and can be very good at analyzing all the pieces to come up with a win-win. We don't have to be first in everything, our approach can be to unify. It makes decision-making more effective when we have a pool of diversity, life experiences, and work experience. Many women have started from the bottom and worked their way to the top. This makes our work experience more rounded and can lead us to make decisions that are taking everything into account.  

At Solaris, we have a very mixed Board of Directors, both women, men, and various industries, not only manufacturing but other sectors as well. These diverse backgrounds help us to make decisions that have been growing our business exponentially for the past 15 years.  

Shama Hyder, Founder and CEO of Zen Media, shares her thoughts as well as other thought leaders on the importance of our female colleagues. We should always look to create business environments that allow all our employees to achieve a balance between work and home life.

WON Profile: Anisza Moreno

She met Kevin Kennedy with Warriors4Wireless and found a new career in tower climbing. She has now climbed all over the United States, including Puerto Rico. She is proud to say she is serving her community again by keeping her guys safe on the towers they work on.

In Remembrance Of

In Loving Memory of Nicole Deas

“Your life was a blessing. Your memory a treasure. You are loved beyond words and missed beyond measure.”

Nicole was supposed to begin her career in telecom the same day that Hurricane Katrina made landfall on the Mississippi Gulf Coast in 2005. Her career was ultimately delayed a week by the devastation and destruction that was caused on the Gulf Coast. The long-running joke was that she blew in with Katrina, and I would argue to say that she made an impact as large as Katrina.

Nicole dedicated 17 years of her life to the telecommunications industry and to MILLERCO. She served for the last six years on the NATE Trade Show Committee and was a member of Women of NATE. Nicole was a behind-the-scenes worker and person. She avoided being the center of attention at all costs, and she would thoroughly loathe this article being about her. She would give her energy, time, and heart to help someone else shine. I cannot count the times she helped me behind the scenes with planning and prepping for our trade show committee meetings. It brought her great joy to see other people shine, and she would be the first to welcome and congratulate someone on their successes.

If her personality was as big as a hurricane, her heart was even bigger. Nicole had a giving heart; a heart that loved unconditionally. She made friends quickly and easily; wherever she went she greeted people with a big smile and a “Morning sunshine.”  Her family and children made up her heart. She is survived by her loving husband, Brian Deas; and her five children, Mackenzie Simmons, Aspen Simmons, Tucker Ladner, Denver Deas and Dylan Deas. Her family and children were her greatest passion in life, and she made sure to live each day to the fullest with those who meant the most to her, whether that was pranking them or going on some sort of adventure through the woods. You never knew what was behind the big smile or twinkle in her eye, but you knew it would be funny and it was best to just buckle up and enjoy the ride.

In the end, Nicole and her giving heart gave the ultimate gift of life. Nicole was an organ donor and was able to help give up to 75 people the gift of life. Her memory, loving heart, and other strong organs will continue to bring joy to this world through their recipients’ lives. I hope they know what big shoes they have to fill and continue to live their lives to the fullest in honor of Nicole and her gifts.

If you are interested in becoming an organ donor, the national registry link is below. Please discuss this with your loved ones so that they may know your wishes and how you can help other people who are in desperate need of a life-saving organ transplant. 

To sign up for organ donation, please click the link below and select your home state

            https://www.organdonor.gov/sign-up

Article submitted by Amanda Stegall, the Trade Show Committee Chairwoman, and Director of Lighting Operations at MILLERCO. She can be reached at astegall@millercoinc.com or 228-832-3352 ext 2.

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. 

(Above) Stephanie Brewer of USA Telecom Insurance Services Inc.; NATE's President & CEO Todd Schlekeway; NATE Board Member Chris Mallon of TowerMRL, LLC.; Jordyn Ladner of MILLERCO; Amanda Stegall of MILLERCO; and NATE Board Member Kevin Dougherty of MILLENNIA CONTRACTING, INC. reunited at the South Wireless Summit in Nashville, Tennessee. 

Upcoming Events

The NATE 2023 UAS Expo Hosted by Valmont will be held on June 5 - 6, 2023 in Valley, Nebraska. Leveraging Valmont’s expansive corporate headquarter facilities in Valley, Nebraska (located just a few miles outside of Omaha, Nebraska), NATE will host a variety of different exhibitions and experiments to further the industry’s understanding of the benefits and future opportunities of UAS operations around communications towers. The NATE UAS Expo will also include top-notch networking and social events.

Additionally, a NATE UAS Expo Hotel Room Block has been reserved at the Home2 Suites Omaha West and the Residence Inn Omaha West:

Participants are encouraged to book their hotel rooms at the following link:

Recent Event Highlights

(Above) WON Chairwoman Andy Page Lee of Lee Antenna & Line Service, Inc. spoke at the Women in Telco Conference on March 14. Her panel, Career Progression Tips to Stay Adaptable and Agile in your Career, discussed topics like what it is like to be a woman in a male dominated environment, dealing with imposter syndrome, gender equality at work, and more.

Why Women Aren't Coming Back to Work, and How Leaders Can Fix It

What some female CEOs and leaders, including myself, have to say about this sudden change and its potential long-term impact.

Our workforce has changed significantly over the past two years, but some of the statistics are still startling - specifically, those surrounding women in the workforce.

There are nearly two million fewer women working now than there were before the pandemic, while male workers regained almost all of the jobs they lost because of this public health crisis. So why is this happening, and how is it affecting how companies are hiring and businesses are run? 

Initially, the workforce was changing because of the uncertainty of the pandemic and, shortly thereafter, because of the Great Resignation. People became dissatisfied with their roles and responsibilities in the workforce and sought positions where they could find a sense of purpose or pursue their passions. But, disproportionately, the research indicates that women (more than men) have left the workforce altogether or simply haven't found the right opportunity to return.

Here is what some female CEOs and leaders, including myself, have to say about this sudden change and its potential long-term impact.

Challenges for Women in the Workforce

There are always challenges for women in the workforce, whether it is subtle (or overt) sexism, lack of equal pay, or lack of benefits. SHRM noted that lack of adequate child care disproportionately affects women in the workplace and that women of color continue to be disproportionately affected by job cuts. 

This definitely does not help our quest for equality and progress, things that should be of great concern no matter your gender. Christen Black, co-founder and CMO of OPS, is a big believer in integrating work and life for her company's employees. As a leader, she believes that we have a great opportunity to rethink what work-life balance means for our society, and I couldn't agree more. "This moment in history is such an opportunity for our American culture to rethink and redefine work. Our company integrates so many fulfilling activities like giving back, volunteering in the community, and serving on internal committees. We've discovered things like these make the work environment a gratifying experience and are what help make a fulfilling 'life' in the work-life continuum," she says.

At my company, Zen Media, we are huge proponents of a flexible schedule and believe that parents shouldn't have to miss out on big moments with their kids as they work from home. Sure, the work still needs to get done, but we've found that prioritizing flexibility and remote work makes our employees happier and our company more productive.

Kate Westad, founder and inventor of Palette by Pak, agrees. "As if being an only parent to four children, working full time as a litigation attorney, and launching a startup weren't hard enough pre-pandemic, having your entire support system of school, activities, and child care vanish in an instant was shocking," she says. "What was even more shocking? Antiquated workplace practices and outdated professional structures that were agonizingly slow to react or offer support. Following my passions and betting on myself at this moment was the ultimate choice." 

Why It Matters

Before Covid-19, statistics surrounding women at work were (slowly) trending in the right direction. Pre-Covid research by McKinsey also indicated that before Covid, the firm had never seen women opt out of the workforce at higher rates than men - until now. This same study indicated that the three groups of women most likely to leave their jobs in the past several years were Black women, working mothers, and women in senior executive positions. 

For those still wondering why this matters, think about the long-term implications of this reversal of progress. To get the best candidates for your company, you must ensure that you are broadening your hiring pool as much as possible and creating an environment where people actually want to work. If your company is losing executives, mothers, and people of color over other groups, you are losing hard-working, valuable employees who bring diverse perspectives to the workplace. 

Misty Frost, CEO of Penn Foster/Carrus, one of the largest online skills-based training and education platforms in the U.S., is well acquainted with the challenges women leaders face in today's workforce. "Study after study shows that women bear the brunt of planning for their households and careers," Frost says. "I find that women want a better balance to manage competing priorities, such as work and family. This isn't a bad thing, and in fact, it's something we should all learn from. As a CEO, I work to create space for balance at work for the team, and our work is better for it." 

As leaders, we cannot neglect the importance of our female colleagues. We should always look to create business environments that allow all of our employees to achieve a balance between work and home life. In a post-pandemic world where hybrid and remote work styles are common, this work-life integration is more important than ever before. Leaders who want the best people to work for their companies should look to create the best work environments possible. 

This article was previously published on inc.com.
https://www.inc.com/shama-hyder/why-women-arent-coming-back-to-work-how-leaders-can-fix-it.html