A STALYBRIDGE woman has published her first book, aimed at helping women build confidence, challenge inequality and succeed in the workplace.
Gemma Bolton-Hale has released How to Girl Boss it, a practical guide focused on women’s empowerment and navigating modern working life.
The book is designed to support women who want to step into their potential, challenge barriers and thrive professionally.
Gemma, 45, works as a gender equality lead, trustee and curriculum leader within the Oasis Community Learning Trust, a large multi-academy trust which runs 56 academies across England.
Explaining more about the book, Gemma – who lives in Millbrook – told The Correspondent: “The book is an invitation to all working women to ‘take their seat at the table’, that is to say, to become strong and empowered women within the workplace, and to be able to rise up against the systems that have kept women in a position which still contributes to the gender pay gap (women earn 87p for every £1 that men earn).
“Examining features such as how to negotiate pay and promotions, fighting imposter syndrome, finding a healthy work life balance and how to follow your passion, ‘How to Girl Boss it’ addresses many of the issues that women feel limit them in the working world. It is a celebration of all that women have to offer, and a call to action to women to ‘get what you came for’.”
Gemma said the idea for the book grew out of her own experiences and her work with young women preparing to enter employment.
“Having navigated being a woman in the workplace for over two decades, in many different industries and sectors, and experiencing first hand both the direct misogyny and the implicit microaggressions, it concerns me that change isn’t happening quickly enough,” she said.
“Too many women are still earning less than men for the same job, being forced to choose between family or career, or being overlooked for the recognition they deserve. As a teacher of young ladies that are leaving school and entering the adult world, it’s hard to see the challenges that they will inevitably face due to their gender.”
She added: “I’ve led the Oasis trust on gender equality for the last three years, leading national events on women’s empowerment and establishing mentoring programmes to enable our girls to flourish, and have consolidated my experience and research into being able to bring this book to all women and girls.”
‘How to Girl Boss it’ is a 97-page paperback, available via Amazon and the Kindle store.