Fearless 7.31.23

Good morning, Fearless readers:

Are you tired of the "How hot is it?" jokes yet? I am getting there. Thankfully, this week should provide a respite from the heat.

We have a lot to look forward to: The Business Record's Women of Influence celebration is from 4 to 7 p.m. Aug. 3 at the Des Moines Marriott Downtown. You can still purchase limited tickets here.

In today's e-newsletter, you will find:

The second half of the Business Record's Women of Influence honorees for 2023. (You can read their full profiles online).
Coverage of the Envision Iowa panel: Although women’s employment has hit an all-time high, child care and mental health continue to be significant obstacles.
In the Headlines: The New Yorker published this story about whether hotel chains should be held liable for human trafficking. According to the 2018 Polaris Survivor Survey, more than 60% of sex-trafficking victims said they were forced to sell sex from hotels.
In the Headlines: More women than men stand to lose their jobs by the end of the decade because of the rise of artificial intelligence and automation, according to a new report by the McKinsey Global Institute. The report, published July 26, finds that nearly a third of hours worked in the U.S. could be automated by 2030.
Confidence: Why do some women become whistleblowers, while others keep silent? I’ve been thinking about this question following the July 26 death of Irish singer Sinead O’Connor. Can whistleblowing be taught?
Lots more!

— Nicole Grundmeier, Business Record staff writer

Last week, we highlighted the first five Women of Influence honorees. This week, we have the second half.

The Business Record's Women of Influence awards celebrate the work of women who have made a difference. They've devoted their lives to doing things most wouldn't. They've spent countless hours on various boards and they've blazed a trail either personally or professionally for other women to follow.

Now more than ever, we need leaders who operate with strength, resilience and empathy. The 2023 Women of Influence honorees exemplify these characteristics. Their stories of work both past and present are inspiring, especially in a time when we need role models who offer humility and thoughtfulness.

This year’s honorees dedicate time, resources and effort to businesses and community organizations. They lead in top roles at large organizations and at small organizations that punch above their weight class. They plan initiatives and strategies that are transforming Greater Des Moines and its citizens. They have earned multiple degrees. They come from different backgrounds. They have overcome challenges and embraced opportunities.

They are not simply influential because of what they do or have done but also because of who they are.

This is the 24th year the Business Record has honored inspiring and influential women. They’ve amassed a tremendous amount of experience and wisdom and showcased integrity, grace and intelligence.

We hope their stories inspire you as much as they’ve inspired us.

– Emily Barske Wood, Business Record special projects editor

Maria Volante
President, Volante Consulting

What do you consider the greatest barrier to gender equity?
Opportunity. Women simply need to be given the opportunity. We need to actively attract and recruit women for all roles. There are areas where we need to be very deliberate about doing the hard work to welcome women in and support them. We need to crush dated perceptions by allowing women to perform. We need to see women in critical roles succeed. By seeing the success we will redefine the image and definition of that very success. All of this must be supported by keeping momentum for zero tolerance for violence and harassment of women. Fighting for equal pay and compensation. Educational equality. The list goes on.

Claudia Schabel
President, Schabel Solutions Inc.

What do you consider the greatest barrier to gender equity?

This is a complex question, and my answer might be a bit controversial. In my opinion, the greatest barrier to gender equity in the U.S. is the fact that our gains over the years seem so extraordinary that many of us seem to have forgotten that we have not yet achieved gender equity. Often, we are happy to celebrate the small wins and forget to fight for transformational changes such as equal pay. I know that we have made great progress over the years and that many women who came before me didn’t have the access I have today. I’ll never take my privilege for granted. However, I’d like for women of all ages and walks of life to discuss gender equity and paint a picture of what it could be in the future. Let’s reimagine what our workplaces and communities can be without the shadow of our past limitations. Should we be happy with what we have achieved? Yes. Is the current state good enough? No.

Women are back.

Nationally, women’s employment has hit an all-time high, said Debi Durham, director of the Iowa Economic Development Authority and the Iowa Finance Authority.

Durham said on July 20 during Business Publication Corp.’s Envision Iowa panel that she is still waiting on Iowa’s numbers.

This Envision Iowa online discussion focused on people and culture: What is the future of Iowa’s post-pandemic workforce?

One of the challenges facing women: 33% of Iowa’s day cares closed in the past five years, Durham said. Women were also disproportionately affected by school closures and online school responsibilities during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Durham emphasized that Iowa is ranked No. 7 in the U.S. for women’s economic and social well-being, according to WalletHub.

“So all those things, about seeing equalization of pay and more women in leadership roles, is beginning to make a difference here,” Durham said.

Durham said she recently visited the renovated Lennox facility in Marshalltown. The company was celebrating the completion of its renovations five years after an EF3 tornado severely damaged its building.

“Lennox had their corporate board of directors there — you’ll love this — half of them were women,” she said.

Post-pandemic, many employers have continued to offer flexible schedules, hybrid workweeks and innovative approaches, Durham said.

Durham said she knows of a manufacturing company that is doing three 12-hour shifts over the weekend.

“[It’s] not only accommodating a workforce that they need, but it’s also helping with child care,” she said.

This schedule allows one spouse to work and one spouse to stay home to care for children.

“Before, you know, you weren’t seeing that kind of flexibility in manufacturing, and we’re seeing it really across all sectors today,” Durham said.

Georgia Van Gundy, executive vice president, chief administrative officer and chief customer officer at Hy-Vee, also mentioned child care as a challenge during the panel discussion.

Approximately 79,000 of Hy-Vee’s 80,000 employees are required to work in a store.

“They get flexibility of schedule, but they don’t get to work from home,” Van Gundy said.

Atypical hours can make finding quality child care difficult, she said.

Van Gundy said child care and mental health are two of the greatest ongoing challenges facing Hy-Vee workers.

Human Trafficking awareness: The United Nations' World Day Against Trafficking in Persons was July 30. In Iowa, Secretary of State Paul Pate and Story County Deputy Sheriff Elizabeth Quinn are working together to raise awareness about the dangers of the crime and ways to prevent it. Pate and Quinn discussed their efforts with the media on July 27.

“Human trafficking can occur anywhere within our state, and the first step in stopping this crime lies in awareness,” Quinn said in a statement. “Iowans should be on the lookout for signs of human trafficking among neighbors, friends, family and coworkers, particularly things like sudden changes in appearance and behavior, isolation, or missing important events often such as school or work.”

Nationally, the New Yorker published this story about whether hotel chains should be held liable for human trafficking. Across the country, hotels have become a familiar scene of sex-trafficking crimes. According to the 2018 Polaris Survivor Survey, more than 60% of sex-trafficking victims said that they were forced to sell sex from hotels.

Abortion policy in Iowa: Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds is asking the Iowa Supreme Court to review a district judge’s ruling to temporarily block a new Iowa law that bans abortion as early as six weeks of pregnancy, according to Iowa Public Radio. State lawmakers passed the law, which bans abortion after cardiac activity is detected, during a one-day special session. Abortion providers filed a lawsuit challenging the law. Polk County District Judge Joseph Seidlin issued a temporary injunction blocking the law from going into effect while it goes through the courts.

Jobs and automation prediction: More women than men stand to lose their jobs by the end of the decade because of the rise of artificial intelligence and automation, according to a new report by the McKinsey Global Institute. The report, published July 26, finds that nearly a third of hours worked in the U.S. could be automated by 2030. Industries that are expected to shrink the most because of automation are food services, customer service and sales, and office support, according to the Washington Post. Women are overrepresented in these sectors — and hold more low-paying jobs than men — so they stand to be more affected, the report finds.

"Lazy-girl job" trends: What exactly is a #lazygirljob? It's become a popular hashtag online, with women bragging about their work setup, according to the Wall Street Journal. To fans, the ideal lazy-girl job is one that can be done from home, comes with a chill boss, ends at 5 p.m. sharp and earns between $60,000 and $80,000 a year — enough to afford the basic comforts of young-adult life, yet not enough to feel compelled to work overtime. Veterans of such jobs say roles such as “digital marketing associate,” “customer-success manager” and “office administrator” are good bets for achieving the lazy-girl lifestyle. The phenomenon, essentially the opposite of “leaning in,” has detractors, who say that aspiring to a lazy-girl job is the wrong attitude for building a meaningful career.

Fearless is a Business Record initiative that elevates coverage of and conversation around women’s and gender issues. Our goal is to help Iowa women succeed in work and life.

In doing so, we’re always looking for stories to tell about Iowa women. We believe that everyone has a story to share and that we cannot progress as a society unless we know about one another.

In the past, we've shared dozens of stories, including those of single mothers, survivors of domestic violence, immigrant advocates, civic leaders, women who work in male-dominated fields, cancer survivors and trans women.

Do you know of any women or nonbinary Iowans who have a great story or experience to share? Do you have a story you'd like to tell us about yourself? Let us know.

Why do some women become whistleblowers, while others keep silent?

I’ve been thinking about this question following the July 26 death of Irish singer Sinead O’Connor.

I was 10 years old on Oct. 3, 1992, when O’Connor performed on "Saturday Night Live," ultimately ripping up a photograph of Pope John Paul II. I certainly wasn’t watching "Saturday Night Live" in 1992 but I do remember seeing the headlines.

As a rural kid from a devout Catholic family (my father’s first cousin is a nun), I was quick to judge: This bald, subversive punk just wanted attention.

I didn’t know that O’Connor was trying to blow the whistle on sexual abuse within the Catholic Church. I didn’t know her mother had abused her. I didn’t know about the Magdalene Laundries in Ireland, where O’Connor lived as a teenager.

There was so much I didn’t know.

As girls and as women, we are often taught to be nice. Be quiet. Be polite – and later, be professional. Keep your head down and don’t complain.

So why do some women speak up? Is it in their DNA? Or can whistleblowing be learned behavior? If so, how do we nurture it and encourage it?

I used to coach gymnastics. In recent years, I have spoken to my students candidly about whistleblowing.

I tell them about Australian gymnast Allana Slater.

Slater’s name is not known outside gymnastics circles. But Slater likely saved someone from injury or even death by whistleblowing.

During the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney, the vaulting horse was set 5 centimeters too low during the women’s all-around finals and likely in preliminaries. The falls on the vault during that Olympics are some of the most terrifying I’ve ever seen in the sport. American Elise Ray and the favorite to win the all-around, Russia’s Svetlana Khorkina, were among those who crashed.

Some gymnasts felt something was off, that the vaulting horse seemed too low.

But no one spoke up. No one until Allana Slater. She told her coach – but perhaps more importantly, she told the judges. The meet was stopped. The vaulting horse was measured and then raised. The gymnasts in the first two rotations were given a second chance to vault.

Slater was correct about the height of the vault.

And we know now that O’Connor was extremely correct about widespread sexual abuse in the Catholic Church.

Why didn’t we listen to her? Was it because of the way she looked? Or the medium she chose? I watched a clip of her "SNL" performance last week, which can be difficult to find online. I wondered if the public reaction would have been different if she had been a man.

O’Connor’s whistleblowing effectively ended her career in the U.S.

The stakes are also high for employees who report malfeasance at their companies, according to this Harvard Business School story. But companies can ultimately benefit from whistleblowers.

That doesn’t make it any easier.

Women who speak about abuse, about unethical or even illegal practices, are often dismissed or fired. In the best-case scenario, they are labeled as complainers. They’re sore losers, they’re mentally ill, they’re disgruntled former employees. We’ve all heard the labels.

They risk losing their jobs, their mental health, their physical health, their relationships, even thousands of dollars in legal counsel and regular counseling.

But what if we stopped labeling and started listening? What if we told their stories?

I don’t know if whistleblowing can be learned behavior. But I do know that by telling women the stories of whistleblowers, we can empower them to do the same.

My daughter is only 7. But when she is a little older, she will know about both Allana Slater and Sinead O’Connor.

Whose stories will you tell?

— Nicole Grundmeier, Business Record staff writer

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