How to Celebrate Women’s History Month at Work: A Goodera Guide

Women’s History Month offers a powerful opportunity for organizations to take action on their DEI agenda by recognizing and celebrating the accomplishments of women in and out of the workplace. Organizations can leverage this celebration to raise awareness around women’s issues and drive impact around gender equity and women empowerment. 

In this comprehensive guide, we’ll explore how to celebrate Women’s History Month at work and its significance for your organization. We will also share creative WHM activity ideas aligned with this year’s themes.

What is Women’s History Month?

Women’s History Month is an annual celebration honoring the contributions and achievements of women across history and all aspects of life. It commemorates influential figures from the past and recognizes everyday heroes—mothers, daughters, teachers, and leaders—whose efforts shape our present and future. This month encourages reflection on women’s struggles, a celebration of their resilience, and a commitment to fostering a more inclusive society.

What month is Women’s History Month?

Women’s History Month is observed in March across many countries like the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia to coincide with International Women’s Day on March 8. Canada observes Women's History Month in October to coincide with the celebration of the landmark ruling in the Persons case on October 18, which held women eligible to hold positions of political power

Trivia

Women’s History Month was initially celebrated as Women’s History Week in Santa Rosa, California, and was observed during the week of March 8 to coincide with International Women’s Day. In 1987, March was proclaimed by President Reagan as Women's History Month, and since then, every president has issued an official proclamation recognizing March as “Women’s History Month.”

Why do we celebrate Women’s History Month?

Women’s History Month is a celebration of the progress, perseverance, and potential of women worldwide. While it honors historical trailblazers who fought for equality, it’s also a time to appreciate the women in our daily lives who continue to break barriers and redefine possibilities.

Celebrating Women’s History Month fosters a deeper understanding of gender equity, raises awareness of challenges women face, and inspires collective action to address them. It’s an opportunity for workplaces to meet DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) goals and create inclusive environments that lead to happier employees and stronger organizational performance.

Why is Women’s History Month important for organizations?

Women’s History Month provides organizations with a meaningful opportunity to drive progress toward gender equity and inclusion. By addressing contemporary issues such as access to education, gender-based violence, and workplace equity, businesses can demonstrate their commitment to empowering women.

Organizations can:

• Donate to and partner with women-centric nonprofits.
• Engage employees in volunteering initiatives to uplift underserved women in their communities.
• Celebrate female employees and partners by showcasing their contributions.
• Host events like workshops, panel discussions, and networking sessions to educate and inspire.

Through these efforts, organizations can honor the spirit of Women’s History Month while actively contributing to positive change.

What is the theme for Women’s History Month 2025?

Every year, the National Women’s History Alliance selects a theme for Women’s History Month to spotlight specific contributions of women. The theme for 2025, “Moving Forward Together! Women Educating and Inspiring Generations,” celebrates the profound impact of women who dedicate their lives to nurturing, mentoring, and leading others.

This year’s theme underscores the role of education and mentorship in shaping a better world. From classrooms to corporate boardrooms, women have been the juggernaut of progress by sharing knowledge, fostering inclusivity, and inspiring those around them to reach new heights.

As we celebrate Women’s History Month 2025, we honor the dedication of these trailblazers who have empowered individuals and communities alike. Their work paves the way for equality and reminds us of the importance of coming together to build a future where opportunity knows no boundaries.

Colors for Women’s History Month

Women’s History Month is often symbolized by three meaningful colors: purple, green, and white.

• Purple represents dignity and justice.
• Green signifies hope.
• White symbolizes purity.

These colors are prominently featured in decorations and materials used while celebrating Women’s History Month and International Women’s Day, such as cards, sashes, flags, and more.

How to celebrate Women’s History Month at work?

Organizations around the world celebrate Women’s History Month by actioning their support for gender equity through various initiatives that run throughout the year. Goodera recommends a three-step process or the 3 A's to embed a culture of empowerment and equity within the organization. 

1. Awareness
2. Activation
3. Amplification

Let’s follow the 3 A’s approach and explore some creative Women’s History Month celebration ideas for work:

1. Generating awareness

Creating awareness about the significance of Women’s History Month is the first step to rallying employee support and participation. Organizations can achieve this by:

a. Sharing resources about the company’s Women’s History Month campaign

Impact teams can empower employees with knowledge about Women’s History Month, its significance, and various initiatives your organization takes to improve gender equity through blogs, videos, and infographics.

• Organize workshops or fireside chats featuring female leaders from within the company to inspire employees with their journeys.
• Provide curated reading lists or podcasts on women’s achievements, gender equity, and actionable steps for allyship.
• Awareness resources can help set context and direction, fostering productive discussions that build a deeper understanding of women’s issues and opportunities for progress.

b. Starting campaign threads on internal communications

Emails and communication channels like Slack, Teams, or Workplace can be collaborative campaign hubs to fuel awareness and participation for the Women’s Month celebrations.

• Share stories of inspirational women within your organization or from history to motivate employees.
• Use these threads to post updates on campaign milestones, employee participation rates, and testimonials.
• Highlight specific calls to action, such as volunteering events or donation drives, to encourage immediate engagement.

c. Organizing games and quizzes

Trivia and quizzes can serve as a fun and interactive way to raise awareness.

• Design quizzes around the contributions of women to various industries, movements, or historical events.
• Include real-life scenarios that educate employees on how to be allies to women in the workplace.
• Offer rewards like shoutouts, badges, or small gifts to winners to enhance participation.

d. Collaborating with women’s resource groups 

• Women’s ERGs are valuable allies in planning Women’s History Month activities.

• Partner with these groups to identify workplace barriers that need to be addressed and integrate actionable solutions into your campaign.
• Facilitate mentorship programs where women leaders within the ERG can connect with younger employees to share experiences and guidance.
• Encourage the ERG to host panel discussions or webinars featuring external experts to bring fresh perspectives on gender equity

If your organization doesn’t have a formalized women's resource group, you can refer to our detailed guide on how to establish a women's employee resource group.

2. Activating employees for Women’s History Month celebrations at work

This is the time to act on employee awareness and intent. Organizations can celebrate Women’s History Month at work by

a. Engaging employees through volunteering activities

• Providing volunteering opportunities not only helps employees feel a sense of purpose but also promotes meaningful connections in the workplace. These activities drive a tangible impact on women’s issues and help the organization action their core values.
  With virtual, in-person, and hybrid volunteering opportunities available, impact teams can pick and choose what works best for their organization in impact areas that align with their giving goals.

Explore more ways to celebrate Women’s History Month.

b. Organizing lunch and learns

• Lunch and learns are a great way for employees to develop skills or learn about the experiences of diverse women, all in a day’s lunch. Teams can collaborate with different stakeholders, like a women’s ERG, to organize ‘lunch and learns’ on various topics throughout the month.

c. Sponsoring Summits, workshops, and networking events

• Organizations often provide opportunities for female employees to attend leadership or skill-building workshops and summits. These opportunities not only upskill talent but also improve talent retention and engagement.

d. Hosting guest speakers

• Educational talks and discussions bring teams together and are a great way to celebrate organizational values during Women’s History Month. Teams can invite experts for talks/workshops on topics like gender sensitization, intersectionality, inclusion, and more.

If you're a member of a Women's Employee Resource Group and looking for a comprehensive year-round activity plan for your ERG, explore our dedicated page featuring engaging and empowering activities for ERG members.

3. Amplifying Women’s History Month celebrations at work

Women’s History Month provides organizations a platform to drive awareness and build momentum for advancing gender equity. This commitment can be amplified through:

a. Social media engagement

• Use trivia posts, quizzes, and educational content to engage audiences and raise awareness about Women’s History Month.
• Stream educational and skill-based events to broaden participation and inspire action.
• Highlight employee-driven initiatives, such as volunteering or donation drives, by sharing their impact stories on social media to motivate others and create a ripple effect of action.

The Good Tip 💡

The colors purple, green, and white, frequently seen in Women’s History Month celebrations, trace their origins to the suffragette movement. These hues were chosen by the Women’s Social and Political Union (WSPU) in the early 1900s as symbols of their campaign for women’s voting rights. 

b. Recognition and support for female employees

• Spotlighting female employees through interviews, blogs, and awards on social media not only recognizes and supports their growth but also offers insights into the organization’s inclusive and vibrant culture to audiences and potential talent.

c. Year-round engagement and impact

• Organizations can build on this impact through year-round engaging volunteering and team-building activities that can sensitize and engage your employees on barriers to women empowerment.

d. Timely impact reports

• By sharing the progress and impact of such initiatives internally, organizations can embed a culture of inclusivity and empowerment among employees. This transparency encourages employee participation and inter-departmental collaboration and boosts employee retention.
  

Women’s History Month is an opportunity to recognize the contributions of women in society and include employees in building inclusive and equitable workplaces. Getting a head start and planning early with relevant stakeholders can help organizations build a truly celebratory campaign that champions the ideas of the women who tell our stories.