On August 26th, the United States celebrates Women’s Equality Day.
According to the U.S. Department of Labor, women who work full-time, year-round are paid 83.7% as much as men, averaging a $10,000 difference annually. The World Economic Forum’s Global Gender Gap states that women account for 41.9% of the workforce yet only hold 32.2% of senior leadership roles. Additionally, the U.S. is 1 of 9 countries without a federal law or government paid maternity leave.
It is undeniable that more work is ahead to achieve equality for women in the U.S. and around the world.
At Horizontal, we advocate for inclusion and equality for everyone. We look forward to continuing to improve our employee experience and advocating for safe, encouraging workplaces everywhere. This year, we were honored to have been named to ClearlyRated’s first ever list of Best Staffing Firms for Women 2023.
For Women’s Equality Day, we spoke with women at Horizontal Talent about their experience at Horizontal and the role they play in working to achieve equality when working with job seekers and hiring managers:
Lauren Kasten, Recruiter (Minneapolis)
“In a primarily male-dominated field, I find my work as a female technical recruiter incredibly important as I am able to relate and empathize with other women working in tech. Having genuine conversations about technology while also relating to their personal lives and experiences as a female in the workforce in general has been a big part of what I do to build trust and create an inclusive hiring process, from the initial screening call to the end offer. I’m excited to kickoff our first women’s employee resource group at Horizontal that coincides with Women’s Equality Day and be a part of furthering a sense of community, empowerment and opening doors to opportunities in leadership for women at Horizontal!”
Jocelyn Huffer, Recruiter (Chicago)
“When I was interviewing for my role with Horizontal 4 years ago, I was transparent (which can sometimes be taboo) that we were planning to expand our family. I was welcomed with support in this decision, and when the time came to take maternity leave a year later, I knew my role would be there when I came back. The outpouring of support for working mothers at Horizontal is unmatched. I feel lifted up daily by our leadership knowing that family comes first.
The women of Horizontal provide a safe landing place to build up and cheer on one another’s successes. This is an environment that provides healthy competition between team members, motivates and drives us to do our best. We celebrate the wins and learn from each other’s losses as a TEAM!”
Anna Gerold, Learning and Development Associate Manager (Minneapolis)
“I believe that every organization can do better to ensure gender bias and discrimination is eradicated, but for the past 8 years, I have been honored to work at a company that is consistently trying to progress for the sake of their employees, customers and partners. Horizontal is continuing to evaluate hiring decisions and ensure more women are represented at the leadership and decision-making level. They’ve adjusted policies such as maternity/parental leave, showing their commitment to working mothers. I’ve had several opportunities to engage in collaborative conversations to ensure all perspectives are heard, leading to creative and well-rounded solutions. In a world where change is difficult, organizations that are being intentional and taking action to ensure women’s equality in the workplace should be celebrated.”
Anece Tibbs, Account Manager (remote)
“It is important to maintain equal representation when considering candidates for a job opportunity. Here at Horizontal we focus on the talent that our candidates are bringing to the table! As a company, we are thrilled to be a recipient of the Best Staffing Firms for Women award! We continue to make women a priority in the workplace by ensuring their voices are heard, representing them for every job opportunity and rallying behind their skills and effort when we present them to clients!”
Rachel Enstrom, Senior Director of Global Marketing, Product and Tech (Minneapolis)
“Horizontal has played a key role in nurturing my career growth and guiding me through this remarkable journey as a leader. They have not been just a workplace, but an essential part of my career advancement.
When I started at Horizontal, the journey from an individual contributor to a leadership position was supported. As I gradually took on more responsibilities and teams, my manager and mentors provided me continuous guidance and constructive feedback. This was instrumental in helping me develop the confidence needed to excel in my role and step into leadership positions. They truly believe in empowering their leaders by developing open communication and collaboration. Horizontal has a commitment of fostering a positive work environment and is reflected in every interaction and decision made. As a leader, I have been encouraged to uphold these values by creating a team atmosphere where every individual feels motivated and supported.
I needed a company that was committed to work-life balance, and that has been instrumental in my career journey at Horizontal. They understand that personal well-being directly impacts professional success. Flexibility in work commitments and a genuine concern for employee welfare have made me feel like a valued member of a larger family. This approach not only boosts my own well-being but also sets a positive example for the entire team.”
Garima Rai, Instructional Designer (remote)
“I think equality is about equal choices, equal opportunities and transparency. While I would love to see more women in leadership positions, I respect how all genders are supportive of each other at Horizontal. Everyone is respectful of the other person irrespective of their region, gender or geography. Our learning and development team consists of all women, and every conversation with members lifts the spirits of the other person. This warms my heart.”
Tessa Wolff, Account Manager (Minneapolis)
“I love being a woman in tech. It’s empowering, fun and always interesting! Horizontal does a great job fostering belonging and equality for the women who work here.”
Jen Zweig, Vice President of Strategic Initiatives (remote)
“I always believed that if I found the right company to call home, I wouldn’t have to choose between being ambitious and being a good mom. I love that Horizontal recognizes that being a busy mom and an organized executive are not mutually exclusive — in fact, being one allows me to be better at the other.”
Shannon Sivertsen, Account Manager (Dallas)
“Horizontal strives and succeeds at making sure all employees, including women, feel supported, heard, and valued! Trust is key to empowerment, and Horizontal has a high degree of openness and trust. They mutually believe in goals, recognizing results and talent, all while caring for who we are outside of the workplace; for me, that’s being a mom!
I take the same respect and approach with my clients by mutually listening to their goals and pain points and aligning the best candidates for their needs. This has allowed me to realize success.”
Mandy Hay, Talent Acquisition Partner (Minneapolis)
“When it comes to speaking about women’s equality in the workplace overall, I feel like it’s important to acknowledge that although we have come a LONG way in the last 100 years or so, we still have a long way to go.
At Horizontal, I believe that we truly embody the values that we have which is more than a lot of companies can say. However, I can say that with my whole chest because of the renewed focus that we have on our DEI, sustainability and Horizontal Cares initiatives (spearheaded by Jen Zweig). I’ve never had a more empathetic, driven and authentic leader who not only takes interest in my life but also coaches me to truly be better at my job and find success in my overall career.
I look up to so many amazing people across our organization for similar reasons (many of these people are women), and I’m excited to start the Women at Horizontal ERG to build this community further!
It’s incredibly important to have women in leadership because everyone deserves to have an ally within upper management that helps them to imagine themselves in leadership positions, too.”
Janya Camann, Account Manager (Denver)
“Horizontal has created an inclusive culture that has respect for and ensures equal access to opportunities for all staff. As a woman, I feel empowered, and I am recognized regularly for my achievements by leadership.”
Alma Allen, Director of Recruiting (Minneapolis)
“In the rapidly changing, historically male-dominated tech sector, I’m inspired by our push for gender equality. With devoted colleagues, we’re dismantling obstacles for all. By fostering an environment that values diverse perspectives, we’re reshaping the narrative and ensuring women have an equal platform to excel.”
Isabella D’Burke, Social Media Manager (remote)
“As a recent college grad who loves to lead, I wasn’t sure what to expect when entering the corporate world. At Horizontal, I am surrounded by powerful women who give me a platform to learn, lead and collaborate. While we all have a lot of work to do to advance diversity, equity and inclusion, I am excited to be a part of a community that constantly strives to improve and create an equal workplace internally and externally.”
Beth Burris, People Operations and Benefits Manager (Minneapolis)
“While our work on gender equality is not done, I am encouraged to see more amplification of women’s voices, more efforts on gender bias training and continued work on pay equality. At Horizontal, I am proud to work with some very strong women leaders who I believe will continue to push for change. It is important that we continue to support and empower each other.”
At Horizontal, we are committed to creating an environment that empowers all of our employees, and we strive to achieve equality both in our workplace and in the workplaces we staff for. Read more about our DEI commitment on our website.
