These 27+ Women’s History Month ideas for work will empower, inspire, and educate everyone on your team! You’ll find incredible ideas for Women’s History Month at work throughout this article.
Women’s History Month 2023 is coming up in March. During this time, we encourage you to take time with your team to reflect on and celebrate the achievements of amazing women throughout history.
Women’s History Month is also a time to recognize gender based inequities that still exist today. Finally, this is an occasion to work toward progress and help your team deepen their understanding of women’s history and women’s rights.
A few of our favorite Women’s History Month ideas for work 2023:
Read on for details on these virtual team building ideas, and more ideas!
- Learn about female innovators and women inventors throughout history
- Host custom virtual events to learn about Women’s History Month
- Gift your team members a box of goodies from women-owned businesses
- Play Women’s History Month trivia with your team
- Host a Pecha Kucha style presentation session
- Celebrate women’s history on social media
- Honor influential female artists and creatives
TLDR: in this list, you’ll find:
- Virtual team building activities for Women’s History Month
- Ideas to examine and improve gender equality at your company
- Women’s History Month ideas for remote teams
- Fun ideas to celebrate women’s history with your team
- Women’s History Month games and trivia ideas
1. Learn About Female Innovators Throughout History – One of Our Favorite Women’s History Month Ideas for Work!
Available for a limited time only during Women’s History Month in March!
“She Innovates” is a special virtual event, created just for teams like yours to learn about and celebrate Women’s History Month! Watch a minute-long promotional trailer in the video above.
During this engaging virtual session, your team will hear the untold stories of female inventors, artists, and leaders from the 1800s to the present day. A highlight of this experience are the live character guides based in the 1800s and 1900s, as your team plays “Historic Shark Tank.” The guides are similar to live characters you would encounter in Colonial Williamsburg. (We promise, this session won’t be cheesy or eye-roll inducing!) Best of all, you will get to see important sites related to Women’s History Month from a live-streaming guide in Chicago.
Your team will be amazed by similarities and differences faced by female inventors over the past three centuries. Moreover, you’ll learn about the ingenuity and perseverance of female inventors. For example, hear about the inventor of Kevlar, the paper bag folding machine, and much more.
This unique virtual event is NOT a lecture, but an immersive and interactive experience that showcases the triumph of female invention. It is a unique celebration of Women’s History Month.
Learn more and book your “She Innovates” session for Women’s History Month!
2. Host a Custom Women’s History Month Virtual Experience – One of Our Favorite Women’s History Month Ideas for Work!
Want to create a memorable and meaningful experience with your employees? If so, book an interactive virtual team building session with Unexpected Virtual Tours!
Trusted by companies like Google, UPS, Salesforce, and Coca-Cola, our virtual team building experiences help your team learn and connect with each other. In fact, more than 20,000 corporate attendees have enjoyed our virtual experiences!
With 3 historians on our staff, we’re prepared to delve into Women’s History Month with your team. Moreover, we can customize your session to meet your company’s unique goals or culture.
To plan your virtual team building session, learn more and connect.
3. Gift Feminist Treat Boxes
During Women’s History Month, gift your team members a beautiful box of unique gifts. Unexpected curates our Empower Gift Boxes with thoughtful items from female owned and BIPOC-owned small businesses.
These gift boxes are perfect for celebrating women’s history or year-round birthdays, anniversaries, graduations, and other milestones.
Choose from 3 different Empower Gift Boxes:
- Feminist Foodie Box: filled with delicious food treats, featuring images of iconic women!
- Empower RBG Box: celebrate the memory of your favorite SCOTUS judge, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, with a box of gifts honoring her legacy.
- Empower Frida Box: tap into your creativity with a box celebrating Frida Kahlo.
Browse our Empower Gift Boxes on Unexpected’s Amazon Store, with free Prime shipping.
4. Share Women’s History Month Quotes
Sharing a powerful quote is a great way to capture your team’s attention and inspire them.
A few of our favorite Women’s History Month quotes:
- “A feminist is anyone who recognizes the equality and full humanity of women and men.” -Gloria Steinem
- “If you don’t see a clear path for what you want, sometimes you have to make it yourself.” -Mindy Kaling
- ” I am not free while any woman is unfree, even when her shackles are very different from my own.” -Audre Lorde
- “Like most who are underestimated, I have learned to over-perform and find soft but key ways to take credit. Because ultimately, leadership and power require the confidence to effectively wield both.” – Stacey Abrams
Find more quotes in our blog post: Quotes for Women’s History Month.
5. Create Care Kits for Girls & Women – One of Our Favorite Women’s History Month Ideas for Work!
Just because your team doesn’t share an office, doesn’t mean you can’t complete a meaningful service project together! For example, honor Women’s History Month by putting together menstrual kits with your team.
The nonprofit organization Helping Women Period shares that at least five million menstruating people around the world lack adequate resources to manage their periods. The stigma surrounding menstruation can result in many people feeling shame or guilt around this topic, worsening inequities.
Additionally, in the U.S., menstrual health products are not eligible for purchases made with public benefits like WIC and SNAP. Moreover, these products are not exempt from sales tax in the way that many other necessities are.
As a result, creating and distributing menstrual kits can be an incredibly worthwhile and rewarding experience for your team. This is a great Women’s History Month idea for work because it brings your team together and provides a needed service.
Connect with your local shelter or period focused organizations in your area to see how your team can help. For example, The Healing Hands Project collects kits with tampons, pads, new underwear, over the counter pain medication, heating pads, hand sanitizer, and more.
6. Volunteer with a Nonprofit that Empowers Women & Girls
These days, it’s easy to find virtual volunteer opportunities for your remote team. During Women’s History Month, consider offering your team time to volunteer with an organization that empowers women and young girls.
For example, here are a few ways you can put your skills to use to help nonprofits serving women and girls:
- Mentor and tutor students virtually
- Deliver an impactful and motivational speech
- Help host a virtual baby shower for a new mom
- Put together and send care packages to deployed female service members
- Facilitate virtual discussions for LBGTQ+ women’s groups
This list was inspired by current volunteer opportunities listed online. But, if you feel you have other skills or talents to offer, reach out to a nonprofit you’re interested in! In some cases, an organization may need the help. But, they might not have thought to post a volunteer opportunity aligned with your unique skills.
To find volunteer opportunities near you, visit VolunteerMatch.org. From there, you can view available volunteer roles in your city, or explore virtual volunteer projects.
7. Explore Online Exhibitions with the National Women’s History Museum – One of Our Favorite Women’s History Month Ideas for Work!
Learn about incredible women throughout history with fascinating online exhibits from the National Women’s History Museum.
During this activity, your team can explore online exhibitions on a variety of topics related to women’s history. For example, delve into the history of the women of NASA, women in social justice, women in STEM, female soldiers in WWII, and more. Read primary documents, view video clips, see historical photographs, and learn about important and influential women in history.
View the online exhibits and start planning your virtual tour.
8. Examine How Women Are Underrepresented in Business & Government
While society has made progress toward advancing women’s rights, there’s still a long way to go. That’s because women are not adequately represented in many industries, and in the governing bodies of many countries.
To learn more, play an interactive quiz game with your team. Ask them to guess about the percentage of women who hold leadership roles in various industries or government branches.
A few Women’s History Month facts that might surprise you:
- In 2021, a record number of women led Fortune 500 companies. However, that record included only 41 women out of 500 CEOs. In other words, only 8.1% of Fortune 500 CEOs are women.
- Around the world, women comprise just 4.6% of the Global 500 CEO list. In other words, only 23 out of the 500 CEOs on this list are women.
- More women than ever before are also serving in the 117th United States Congress. But, representation for women in this important branch of government is still far from equal despite some advances throughout American history. Currently, just under 27% of Congress is female.
- Throughout U.S. history, only 3.1% of all members of Congress have been women.
- Globally, just 10 countries have a woman Head of State. Additionally, 13 countries have a woman Head of Government.
Use a service like Kahoot to set up your interactive team quiz and learn more together.
9. Celebrate Women’s History Month on Social Media
Do a Women’s History Month takeover on your company’s corporate social media account!
A few ways to promote Women’s History Month on your social media:
- Share your favorite Women’s History Month quotes (see idea #4 above!)
- Post inspirational stories of female entrepreneurs, inventors, scientists, and leaders
- Diversify your feed by following more women-owned and women-run businesses and accounts
- Amplify the voices of female thought leaders in your industry
To get started, check out this guide from Harper’s Bazaar: 12 Female Empowering Instagram Accounts to Follow for Daily Inspiration.
10. Embrace Wellness Activities this Women’s History Month – One of Our Favorite Women’s History Month Ideas for Work!
Throughout human history, there are countless ways in which women have provided care, nurturing, and community around the world. Often, women have had to disproportionally shoulder the burden of household tasks. Moreover, some work cultures unfairly look to women for support tasks outside their job descriptions.
This Women’s History Month, consider offering employees opportunities for self-care and rest.
Ideas to care for employees’ well-being:
- Hire a yoga teacher to lead a special virtual session that focuses on rest, reflection, and healing.
- Offer your employees a paid day off to recuperate from caretaking, home duties, and work. For instance, you could offer a day off on International Women’s Day (March 8).
- Treat employees to a “healing” gift, such as a massage or healthy meal.
Remember, while your activities can be done in the spirit of Women’s History Month, it’s important to be mindful of considerations around discrimination. We recommend treating employees of all genders to these activities and sharing context around the significance of the gesture for Women’s History Month.
11. Explore the Online Exhibit, “Girlhood (It’s Complicated)” from the National Museum of American History
This activity is especially relevant for companies that market to youth audiences. Your team can explore the concept of girlhood as well as how girls have changed history with the online exhibit, “Girlhood (It’s Complicated)” from the National Museum of American History.
The museum shares that through this online exhibition, “We argue that girlhood has an unexpected and complicated history and that girls, like suffragists, used their voices to make a difference.” This is one of our favorite Women’s History Month ideas for work, because it emphasizes the importance of girls and women at all stages of life.
Learn more about girlhood as it relates to news and politics, education, work, wellness, fashion, and life itself with the “Girlhood (It’s Complicated) online exhibition.
12. Plan a “Pecha Kucha” Session for Women’s History Month – One of Our Favorite Women’s History Month Ideas for Work!
Have you heard of a “Pecha Kucha” presentation session? This is a simple and fun way to learn something new with your team. “Pecha Kucha” is Japanese for “chit-chat.” During a Pecha Kucha session, everyone takes turns presenting on a topic they’re passionate about.
Traditionally, each presentation includes 20 slides that each appear for 20 seconds. That means that each speaker will lead a fast-paced, engaging story that lasts 6-7 minutes.
For this activity, ask your team members to each prepare a Pecha Kucha presentation on a topic related to Women’s History Month. The idea is to explore varied topics and learn something new. During the process, you’re sure to spark discussion, questions, and maybe even a friendly debate.
Women’s History Month Pecha Kucha topic ideas to spark some inspiration:
- The history of female beer brewers
- The powerful women behind some of history’s most well-known male figures
- Women leaders in the Civil Rights movement
- Connections between persecution of witchcraft and female empowerment
New to the idea of Pecha Kucha? Learn more about this fun and impactful presentation style here.
13. Get Inspired with TED Talks on Female Leadership
To hear different perspectives on feminism and female leadership, check out a TED Talk with your team. You can watch the TED Talk together using screen sharing during a video call.
Most TED Talks are around 15-20 minutes, making them the perfect jumping-off point for a discussion. Afterward, spend the rest of the hour discussing the presentation with your team.
To deepen your conversation, it’s a good idea to come prepared with a few prompt questions. For example, you could ask, “What surprised you most when listening to this talk?” Or, you could ask, “How did you feel while you were listening to this talk?” This Women’s History Month idea for work also helps your team engage with each other.
Explore the TED Talks playlist: Revolutionary Women!
14. Make a Women’s Empowerment Playlist
Celebrate the power of womanhood with an empowering playlist!
For this activity, ask everyone on your team to add their favorite song to honor Women’s History Month. Then, everyone can listen in during the month of March and all year long.
Empowering songs to include on your Women’s History Month playlist:
- Respect by Aretha Franklin
- Run the World (Girls) by Beyoncé
- Most Girls by Hailee Steinfeld
- Brave by Sara Bareilles
- I Am Woman by Emmy Meli
- Stronger by Britney Spears
- Superwoman by Alicia Keys
15. Hire a Performer or Author to Speak to Your Team – One of Our Favorite Women’s History Month Ideas for Work!
Plan a memorable virtual event by inviting a performer or author to speak to your team for Women’s History Month.
To find a speaker, the National Women’s History Alliance provides a resource list of performers and authors in various U.S. states. As a result, you can find the perfect guest located close to your corporate headquarters, or anywhere in the country.
This idea is a great way to get everyone out of the routine of virtual meetings and making new connections with each other.
Browse the National Women’s History Alliance’s database of performers and authors.
16. Advocate for Intersectionality
Women’s History Month is undoubtedly a time to celebrate all women and fight for women’s rights. In addition, it’s important to remember that this includes trans women, people who identify as women, women with disabilities, BIPOC women, and so on. Celebrate women of all religions, sizes, and sexual orientations. And, celebrate women whether they have children or spouses or not.
Above all, Women’s History Month is about equity and inclusion. By bringing an intersectional lens to your activities, you’ll more fully embrace the spirit behind the occasion. And, you’ll deepen your team’s learning while also creating an affirming, welcoming space for all your employees.
This being said, this Women’s History Month idea for work does not necessarily mean that you need to spotlight people within your own organization. Only spotlight women if they agree to that spotlight.
You can find a wide variety of resources and activities on intersectional inclusion here. Another good jumping off point is this article: How bell hooks Paved the Way for Intersectional Feminism.
17. Support the Girl Scouts
The Girl Scouts are on a mission to build girls of courage, confidence, and character, who make the world a better place. This Women’s History Month, consider getting involved with Girl Scouts – either through your local troop, or as a corporate partner.
There are a variety of ways to engage with this organization, beyond buying cookies each year! Your company can also join the Girl Scouts’ “Fair Play, Equal Pay” initiative to ensure gender parity in your organization.
This is also a fun Women’s History Month idea for work because it can allow your team to introduce their children’s initiatives. It helps that Girl Scout cookies season is also during Women’s History Month!
Learn more about corporate partnership with Girl Scouts and ways to get involved.
18. Explore Women’s History in Your Organization – A Great Women’s History Month Idea for Work
Delving into your own company’s history can be a powerful way to explore Women’s History Month. For instance, if your company was founded or has been led by a woman, this is an opportunity to learn more about her story and ethos and become inspired. This is also a great idea for work for Women’s History Month because it helps your team connect with the company.
On the other hand, maybe your company has historically been led by men. Perhaps women have been actively excluded from your company’s industry or leadership roles in the past, or present. Additionally, maybe your company’s success has relied on the unpaid labor of women in the home, as they provide the domestic care and stability needed for male executives to build the business.
Taking an honest look at this history can help team members recognize where the organization aims to do better in the future. After all, it is only by addressing our history that we can learn how to shift it toward a better future.
19. Wear Purple on International Women’s Day
Did you know that purple is the color associated with the women’s equality movement? According to purplecampaign.org, “The color purple has been a symbol of the American women’s movement since the early 1900s, when it became an official color of the National Women’s Party and the Suffragettes campaigning to gain the right to vote.”
To celebrate International Women’s Day on March 8, encourage your team members to wear purple. This is a simple and fun Women’s History Month idea for work.
Additionally, you can go a step further and change your video call background to a purple graphic! Or, send your emails in a purple font, with a note at the bottom explaining the color choice. This is a great way to spark a dialogue about women’s history.
Learn more in this Fortune article: Why You Should Wear Purple on International Women’s Day.
20. Offer Benefits Like Family Planning Support, Paid Parental Leave, & Compassionate Leave Time
As your team honors women’s history, it’s important to be mindful of how your company is supporting women in the present. These days, many companies offer a wide variety of benefits to support women – and employees of all genders – as they pursue their vision for their families.
Family benefits to consider adding to your corporate benefits plan:
- Family planning support, including financial help with processes such as fertility treatments, IVF, surrogacy, egg freezing, and more.
- Paid parental leave for employees of all genders after the birth or adoption of a child.
- Flexible schedules for working parents (and all employees!) to help them balance personal and work priorities.
- Compassionate leave time for bereavement of a miscarriage or failed surrogacy, adoption, or fertility treatments, so employees can take time to grieve this loss.
While this might not seem like an idea for work specific to Women’s History Month, these are important benefits that can be provided and announced all year long.
Read more about family benefits with CNN’s article: How your company can help you pay for starting a family.
21. Support Women-Owned Businesses – One of Our Favorite Women’s History Month Ideas for Work!
As you celebrate employees’ birthdays and work anniversaries this Women’s History Month, consider diversifying your vendor list and buying from woman-owned businesses.
Whether you seek out local vendors or browse woman-owned shops on a site like Etsy, this is a great way to support female entrepreneurs and business owners while celebrating employees, from desk plaques and decor to mugs, stationery, tablet covers, and more!
Browse gifts from woman-owned businesses on Uncommon Goods, a website featuring unique and creative gifts.
22. Plan a Women’s History Month Book Club
Does your team include bookworms, audiobook aficionados, critical thinkers, and debate champions? Or – maybe you’ve had trouble getting team members to come out of their shells and voice their ideas?
Either way, starting a team book club is a great way to get everyone connecting and sharing. Sometimes, changing the topic from work projects to a work of fiction or history can help everyone break out of their everyday patterns.
This Women’s History Month, choose a book for your team to read together and discuss on a weekly lunchtime video call. To get everyone’s buy-in and excitement, consider sending out a survey with a few book choices for everyone to vote on!
Get started with this guide from the New York Public Library: 31 Books for March: Women’s History Month.
23. Share About Inspirational Women in Your Life
It’s important to take the time to learn about female inventors, authors, and leaders. But, it’s also important to acknowledge the women in our own lives who have helped support, empower, and encourage us along the way.
During the month of March, give each team member the microphone to share about a woman who has had an impact on their life. This might be a caregiver or sibling, a teacher, mentor, friend, or partner. With this Women’s History Month idea for work, your team will have the opportunity to research and enlighten their team.
This is a great way to get to know your team members better while also celebrating the important role that women have played in our lives.
24. Play Women’s History Month Trivia with Your Team
Want to learn about women’s history while engaging in some friendly competition? Challenge your team to a round of Women’s History Month trivia!
Choose one person on your team to play the role of trivia host. Then, have that person read from a list of trivia questions. Team members can use the “raise hand” feature of your video call to indicate they know the answer! Or, have everyone type their response in the chat box and award points for whoever guesses correctly first!
At the end, you can tally up the winner and gift them a fun prize or gift certificate from a woman-owned business. We love this Women’s History Month idea for work because it promotes community and learning!
Find Women’s History Month trivia questions and quizzes from the National Women’s History Alliance.
25. Host a Women’s Leadership Panel
Hearing from successful women leaders can be inspiring and moving for employees of all genders. This March, give your women executives and rising stars the opportunity to share about their career and life experience.
Arranging a video call panel discussion is a great way to amplify the voices of multiple women during one session. Be sure to allow plenty of time for a Q&A at the end! Then, invite all of your employees to join the call and participate.
Questions to ask speakers during a women’s leadership panel:
- Have you faced discrimination in your career, either due to being a woman or something else? What was that like?
- How can we uplift and support women in our workforce?
- Do you think that women in your field face any unique or particular challenges? Can you tell us about them?
- Complete this sentence: “Women are _________.”
26. Examine Pay Parity in Your Company
The Pew Research Center reports that “Among full- and part-time workers ages 25 and older, women earned 86% of what men earned based on median hourly earnings.”
This Women’s History Month, make sure your organization is putting its money where its mouth is! As you organize team building events and celebrate women’s history, be sure to review your internal processes that affect women, including pay equity.
It’s a good idea to review employees’ compensation periodically, to see how your company is keeping pace with the market and ensure everyone is paid fairly. Women’s History Month is a great time to revisit this and ensure that people are paid appropriately for their work, regardless of gender. This can be done in consultation with an outside advisor, HR firm, or consulting agency.
27. Host Women’s History Month Happy Hours – One of Our Favorite Women’s History Month Ideas for Work!
Encourage employees to mix and mingle during a virtual Women’s History Month happy hour event! This is one of the best Women’s History Month ideas for work to get your team interacting and engaging.
While it’s a good idea to be inclusive of all genders for this event, you can focus event discussions and topics around women’s history. For instance, choose one of the activities or games above in this list to keep everyone entertained and engaged.
Share a fun invitation letting everyone know the happy hour theme and topics! Then, encourage team members to show up on camera with their favorite snacks or drinks as well as casual attire. To encourage deeper connections, you can set up breakout rooms for more intimate discussions.
Looking for a turnkey virtual experience for Women’s History Month? Book Unexpected Virtual Tours’ “She Innovates” team building session, created especially for corporate teams celebrating Women’s History Month!
Frequently Asked Questions about Women’s History Month
What is Women’s History Month?
Women’s History Month is a time to honor and recognize the achievements of incredible women throughout history. Additionally, this is a time to recognize the ways in which women and women’s rights have been suppressed. Finally, Women’s History Month is a time to push forward toward further equity and celebrate the women and girls who are leading us into the future.
When is Women’s History Month?
Women’s History Month is celebrated every year during the month of March. For an easy way to remember what month is Women’s History Month, just think of the Women’s March.
Where is Women’s History Month celebrated?
Women’s History Month is celebrated in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia.
In Canada, Women’s History Month is celebrated during October. That’s because October corresponds with Persons Day on October 18. This holiday commemorates the day in 1929 when Canada’s highest court formally decided to include women in the legal definition of “persons.”
Additionally, many people around the world also celebrate International Women’s Day on March 8.
How did Women’s History Month begin?
Women’s History Month stems from International Women’s Day, first celebrated on March 8, 1911. Decades later, the local school district in Sonoma, CA celebrated Women’s History Week in 1978.
Shortly after, in 1979, several organizations celebrated and advocated for Women’s History Week together: Sarah Lawrence College, the Women’s Action Alliance, and the Smithsonian Institution.
In 1980, President Jimmy Carter declared the week of March 8, 1980 as Women’s History Week by presidential proclamation. In the following years, Congress passed joint resolutions proclaiming Women’s History Week.
Then, in 1987, Congress passed Pub L 100-9, which officially designated March 1987 as the first Women’s History Month. Since then, Presidents from 1988 onward have all made an annual proclamation of Women’s History Month.
Companies have adopted many ideas to celebrate Women’s History Month at work.
What is the theme for Women’s History Month 2023?
The Women’s History Month theme for 2023 is Celebrating Women Who Tell Our Stories. The National Women’s History Alliance shares, “Throughout 2023, the NWHA will encourage the recognition of women, past and present, who have been active in all forms of media and storytelling…This timely theme honors women in every community who have devoted their lives and talents to producing art and news, pursuing truth and reflecting society decade after decade.”
For a virtual team building experience that honors the stories of female inventors and innovators, check out She Innovates from Unexpected Virtual Tours! We created this session specifically for Women’s History Month, to help teams connect and learn while honoring women’s history.
We wish you and your team a celebratory Women’s History Month filled with learning and fun. Looking for more Women’s History Month ideas for work, and other virtual DEI team building ideas? If so, explore our Diversity and Equity Virtual Team Building resources!
Located in Atlanta? Check out Unexpected Atlanta Tours & Gifts