The women we spoke to had a lot to say about needing PURPOSE from work. Purpose is not necessarily a calling or a passion, although for some it is. What these women articulate is a strong desire to have something to show for their efforts at work. Many talk about fair and equitable wages. They need to earn wages that are enough to support themselves and their families. They also want to be paid commensurate to the value they bring to the organization. The women we spoke to also talked about needing to have a general sense of moving forward -- and of growing and advancing at work. Some spoke of wanting to make a difference, of doing well, and of being a role model and leaving a legacy.

Women had a lot to say about trust. And the most prominent thing they said is they no longer trust that you have their best interests in mind. And you need to earn back their trust. You need to trust that they have good ideas. They know what is best for them. You need to bring them to the table. Surprisingly, many now trust self employment more than a W-2. Let that sink in. We usually think of entrepreneurs as people with a high tolerance for risk. That was not the case with these women. They chose self-employment because it is LESS risky. They find self-employment MORE stable, because they trust themselves more than they trust you. The women we spoke to have lost faith in employers. They don't trust them anymore.

The women we spoke to talked a lot about how they need humanity at work. That means the want to be seen and heard. Include them as problem solvers. They know how to solve their problems. Treat them with empathy and compassion. Those are two words we heard in almost every conversation. We didn't ask for it. But they said these words over and over again. "I want to be seen as a human being."