Category: Equality at Work
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Want to improve workplaces for mothers? Take your parental leave.
This article was originally published as an opinion piece in The Salt Lake Tribune on September 12, 2025. This summer, hundreds of U.K. dads took to the streets to protest with their children for better paid leave. They held signs saying things like, “The worst dad joke: two weeks paternity leave!” Meanwhile, the United States is still the…
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Help me complete my Cambridge Capstone Research
I’m wrapping up my capstone project for my Cambridge MBA and would love to talk to the builders. Why? I once had a conversation with an early-stage founder that I haven’t been able to shake. Here’s the gist: “Yes, I believe in diversity as a concept. But as an early-stage founder, speed is everything. Diversity…
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Introducing the Allies at Work podcast
Introducing, the Allies at Work podcast with Rachel Cottam. Here you’ll discover bitesize tactics that you can start using today to improve gender equity in your workplace, homes, and communities.
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Men can do what women do
“We’ve realized that women can do what men can do. The next leap? Realizing that men can do what women can do.” Gloria Steinem When we get women out of boxes, we get men out of boxes too. When I shared this quote on LinkedIn, I got over 100 comments listing ALL the things that…
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Hey Utah, let’s use the word “patriarchy”
This article was originally published as an opinion piece in The Salt Lake Tribune on November 15, 2023. While chatting with men and women who had come together to solve Utah’s gender equality problem, I only heard talk about the women. “Well, women just don’t understand that they can pursue STEM careers.” “Well, she’s just…
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Why men who believe in equity will take their full parental leave
When our second child was born, my husband took one week off. He was given three days for parental leave (all of which were spent in the hospital) and chose to take two additional days of PTO. Our wallet couldn’t afford any more time than that. Thankfully, my mom flew into town and my sister…
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15 of the best books about gender equality
The best leaders are readers. As a former English teacher, I believe that reading gives us the opportunity to walk in another’s shoes, to learn something new, to push the boundaries of our world. Whether you’re a feminist looking to expand your knowledge or an ally who wants to understand how you can improve gender…
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Is the gender pay gap a myth?
While 94% of survey respondents agreed that the gender pay gap is an important issue to address, a lingering 5% believe that the pay gap is a myth. (And a brave 1% admitted that they know it’s important, but don’t get it). Of the 5% that said the gender pay gap is a myth, the…
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These 7 groups benefit from remote work—and so does your company
If you’re requiring your teams to go back to the office, you are limiting your potential for diversity. Just because you’re eager to see folks in-person, doesn’t mean it’s preferable or affordable for your employees. Let’s talk about the underestimated groups that benefit from remote and hybrid environments—and how your company can benefit from hiring…
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Employees say they are more productive remotely, while execs push for RTO
Return to office is often mandated by executives with little input from employees. LinkedIn professionals say that they are more productive at home.
Rachel Cottam 