According to AdWeek, over two million women have left this country’s workforce in the past year due to the COVID-19 crisis, a number far greater than men who are no longer working. On Friday, in response to demands placed on women in these trying times, Verizon announced Verizon Women’s CoLab. The initiative is designed to provide support for Verizon’s key stakeholders – customers, employees and society at large. A recent survey by Morning Consult, commissioned by Verizon, stressed that women are leaving the workforce as a result of burnout due to the pandemic and having to juggle additional home-life responsibilities.
As part of the platform, Verizon Business will launch mentorship networks, free resources and training aimed at supporting women small business owners and entrepreneurs. Verizon Business is kicking off this effort with a call to action on social media March 10, #WomenOwnWednesday, to highlight women doing extraordinary things and encouraging everyone to support women-owned businesses every Wednesday.
In a letter sent to employees last week, Verizon leaders emphasized how the setbacks that women have experienced in the wake of COVID-19 run the risk of unraveling decades of hard-earned progress, stating that women’s careers are not expendable in a crisis. The three co-signers, Tami Erwin (Chief Executive Officer, Verizon Business), Christy Pambianchi (Chief Human Resource Officer, Verizon) and Rima Qureshi (Chief Strategy Officer, Verizon) are calling for Verizon’s partners to join this effort to create a future of work that works for all women.
Verizon Women’s CoLab is a collaborative career engine for women everywhere. It brings together resources to succeed, both during the pandemic and beyond and in an increasingly digital world. Participants will get access to “trailblazing leaders, best-in-class development resources” and an array of tools to remain in the workplace and thrive. Verizon Women’s CoLab will launch later this year.
Women Own Wednesday Social Campaign will spotlight women entrepreneurs and small business owners throughout the country who are making meaningful contributions within their communities.
Verizon Business Women’s Leadership Digital Summit will convene later this year, bringing together women of the global workforce—executives, business owners, essential workers, global decision makers.
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