It’s Women’s History Month which means it’s the perfect time to celebrate women in business at That’s Good HR and within our local community of Indianapolis. As a woman-owned company, led by our partners Mary Springer and Greta Cline, That’s Good HR shines at matching Indianapolis employers with top job seekers. Our Indy-based staffing agency is in good company. There are more than 14 million women-owned businesses nationwide, according to the Women’s Business Enterprise National Council (WEBNC.) In Indiana, women-owned businesses (with one or more employees) account for about 23% of all businesses.
Want to know more about women in business? Keep reading for some surprising numbers and statistics on how women are making a difference.
Facts about women in business
TGHR works with business owners of all different backgrounds, but we wanted to take a look specifically at the impact women are having on local businesses and the people who work for them.
Here are some of our most interesting findings:
- Employees are more likely today to have a female boss than they were a decade ago. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, women accounted for 31.7 percent of top executive positions in the U.S., up from 27.1 percent in 2015. However, Indiana women represent only 28.2 percent of the top executive roles in the state.
- Women-owned businesses are growing faster than their male-owned counterparts. The number of women-owned businesses grew by 94.3 percent between 2019-2023. That’s almost twice as quick as men’s. Women-owned businesses added another 1.4 jobs to the economy, as well as almost $580 billion in revenue.
- Women who own businesses are seeking to pursue their passion while achieving financial independence and flexibility. Our Mary Springer is a great example. Mary had extensive experience with a prominent national staffing firm, but she felt she could do staffing better. When she moved to That’s Good HR in 2000, Mary directed her attention to starting a temporary staffing division. Her insights led to groundbreaking improvements that benefit both the jobseekers and the employers on the Indianapolis staffing scene.
- Businesses with diverse executive teams are more likely to be profitable. Research from McKinsey suggests that companies with higher gender and ethnic diversity were 25 percent more likely to have above average profitability.
- Having a higher percentage of women in the workforce predicted better job satisfaction, more meaningful work, less burnout and more organizational dedication. People who worked at companies that employed more women were more likely to talk about positive employee culture as well. (the Center for Creative Leadership)
- Women may also bring different work styles to the office. For instance, a study by organizational psychologist Anita Williams Woolley indicated that team collaboration was higher in groups involving more women. A different study by social psychologist Mansi P. Joshi found that employees were more likely to anticipate fair treatment from a female leader.
We love to see the impact women can make together on a large scale. We also were curious to see how women have made a difference in the lives of our own TGHR team members.
Women make a difference in our professional lives
This month we asked our staff to tell us about some of the women who have impacted their professional lives. Their answers show that women continue to impact the workplace, both directly through their own positions and indirectly through the people they mentor and befriend along the way:
Madison Schacht, manager of talent acquisition: My bosses, Mary and Greta, gave me an opportunity almost seven years ago as a fresh college graduate to come in, learn this business and make a career out of it. They took a chance on me, gave me the encouragement and tools I needed to learn and continue to pour into me every day. My teammates, Tiffany and Kirstia, from day one, have taken me under their wings and shared knowledge and wisdom with me that I cherish and appreciate every single day. These four women champion me and have taught me everything I know about staffing! I am forever grateful to each of them.
Julie Johson, talent acquisition partner: Beth Williams gave me encouragement, support, guidance. She helped me see my worth, value, and how good I was. Beth gave me confidence. She is still my go-to person. She is my listener, catalyst, connector, and expert! Everyone needs a Beth in their lives. I didn’t meet her until I was in my 40s. I wish I could have met her sooner in my career.
Cheryl Milton, account executive: One of my former colleagues, Ahna Hoke, is someone who made a big difference in my professional life by showing me how to lead from the front quietly. She inspired me to listen thoroughly and be patient in the silence while allowing others to think. She also wasn’t perfect and knew that, which made her that much more authentic and important to me.
Greta Cline, partner, CFO/COO: My grandmother is someone who has made a profound impact on my life. Her dedication and work ethic are something I have carried with me into my own career and work at TGHR. I witnessed her walk to work every day (as she never had a driver’s license) so that she could own and maintain her own home. Despite the curveballs that life threw her, she never complained about anything, nor expected anything from anyone. She always wanted to contribute more than she took. My biggest takeaway from her was that you can “make it” with hard work, determination, a good attitude, and a grateful heart.
We hope these facts and stories about women (and women in business) will help to inspire you today in your own business or as you grow in your professional journey.