{"id":63972,"date":"2022-03-29T08:45:00","date_gmt":"2022-03-29T15:45:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.salesforce.com\/?p=63972"},"modified":"2022-03-29T08:45:00","modified_gmt":"2022-03-29T15:45:00","slug":"supporting-women","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.salesforce.com\/uk\/news\/stories\/supporting-women\/","title":{"rendered":"Promoted on Parental Leave: How Salesforce Supports Women at Every Stage of Their Lives"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Six months into the pandemic, Abby Hollingsworth had an epiphany. She was working from home and chasing her 5-year-old daughter around the house, while also checking on her parents, both of whom were sick with COVID. In between meetings and nap time, she got a call from the hospital worth celebrating \u2014 her mother had recovered and was ready to go home. But instead of feeling pure joy or relief, Hollingsworth was stressed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“As soon as my mother tested negative, the hospital said she had to leave immediately because they needed that bed back,” recalled Hollingsworth, Salesforce’s Vice President of Global Benefits. “I’m the do-it-all kind of person who tries not to deprioritize anything. That was my \u2018holy moly\u2019 moment. I need to stop everything I’m doing. That’s my mom.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I need to stop everything I’m doing. That’s my mom.<\/p>Abby Hollingsworth, Vp, Global Benefits, Salesforce<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

That was Abby Hollingsworth’s work-life experience during COVID \u2014 and she’s not alone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The pandemic\u2019s impact on women in the workforce <\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The pandemic has been devastating to women around the world. Whether balancing career with family, dealing with the burden and stigma of work pressure, or navigating the obstacles of hybrid work among myriad other challenges \u2014 millions of women<\/a> have left the workforce during COVID-19, an impact of $800 billion in global income<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Organizations have felt this acutely, seeing a disproportionate number of women departing jobs. Many, though, are working to find solutions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As a leader in Salesforce\u2019s Employee Success organization, Hollingsworth is responsible for providing services and support to encourage the wellbeing of 74,000 global employees. When it comes to these benefits, Hollingsworth doesn’t just talk the talk, she walks it too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIn my role, I have this really amazing privilege to help create and develop programs that can support women,\u201d Hollingsworth continued, \u201cand during the pandemic, I really utilized the benefit programs that ironically, I’ve been the one to roll out.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Salesforce colleagues, tech, and benefits provide support during life\u2019s challenging moments<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

When her mother left the hospital, Hollingsworth needed to find her mom a skilled nursing facility immediately. But finding the right facility takes time \u2014 time she didn\u2019t have, especially with a neverending to-do list of work and personal items. She needed flexibility, and her Salesforce colleagues stepped up to the plate. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hollingsworth remembers how significant that support was, recounting the words of her direct manager: \u201cStop what you’re doing at work, and make sure that your mom is where she needs to be.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hollingsworth leaned into asynchronous communication \u2014 addressing work issues at times that were more convenient for her, freeing her to speak with care facilities during their operating hours. On any given day, she may had have to pause work to talk to the hospital, get updates on her mother\u2019s condition, help make decisions and also talk to her dad to help him understand what was happening and coordinate decisions. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Said Hollingsworth, \u201cI leaned heavily on my team to drive work items forward, and got help from my manager so that he could lead as needed, which freed up time for me to focus on coordinating and understanding the situation.” <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In addition to help from her team, Hollingsworth used Salesforce-offered benefits that not only helped provide progress updates on her mother\u2019s status when Hollingsworth couldn\u2019t be there herself, but also helped find a quality environment for her mom to heal.<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
Open Image Modal<\/span>\"Hollingsworth<\/a>
Hollingsworth pictured with her mother and daughter, July 2021<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n
<\/div>