State of Work in Greater Rochester

 
 

What’s it REALLY like to work in ROC?

As we continue to live with and beyond COVID-19, it is important for employers in the Greater Rochester region to understand and respond to women’s experiences. That’s why in the fall of 2021, the Women’s Council launched the State of Work in Greater Rochester research study to glean what employees —in all lines of work— have experienced during the pandemic: what’s different, what’s new, and what are some of the benefits of their job that maybe have changed for better or worse.

Partnered with KJT Group and Butler/Till (women-owned companies), we set out to understand where we were starting from in hopes to build actionable steps for holding companies and leaders accountable as we strive to achieve our vision. The study, completed anonymously by 385 Greater Rochester residents, aligned with our key focus area to be “at the forefront of the women’s equity movement.”

The goal is to use data from the study to empower business leaders and employers to make positive changes for their employees by understanding the benchmarks for success, where change is needed, and how organizations and companies can best use what’s currently working to make things better — particularly for working women in Greater Rochester.

Want the quick scoop? Here are some of our top learnings:

  • The pandemic has brought a new visibility to existing structural workplace inequalities, including those of gender and race/ethnicity.

  • Employers need to be more flexible, have empathy, and exercise transparency to address the impact of COVID-19 on women’s paid employment as well as unpaid care work and mental/physical wellbeing. Addressing the unique experiences of women of color explicitly and implicitly should be prioritized.

  • Companies in the Greater Rochester area are presented with the opportunity to foster a more diverse, sustainable, and productive workplace environment by ensuring women’s experiences are validated and taken seriously.

Click here or on the image below to browse the first set of results from the State of Work in Greater Rochester research study.

Special thanks to:

  • Project co-chairs: Carolyn Nussbaum of Nixon Peabody and Adrienne Morgan of the University of Rochester Medical Center and the School of Medicine & Dentistry;

  • Pro-bono research partners: KJT Group (Clare Murphy & Michaela Gascon) and Butler/Till (Wendy Emerson, Nicole Bourdon, Lacey Kaplan, Amanda Adams)

  • Volunteer committee members:

    • Andrea Holland, Holland Communications

    • Julie Marsiglio, United Way of Greater Rochester and the Finger Lakes

    • Melissa Palmer, Butler/Till (retired)

    • Kate Pellett, Causewave Community Partners

    • Kathleen Pringle, Kathleen Pringle Group, Inc.

    • Stephanie Seiffert, Nixon Peabody

If you have any questions about the study, please reach out to the Immediate Past President, Kate Pellett at kpellett@causewave.org.