November 19th is an annual day dedicated to celebrating men and boys in all their roles – as partners, fathers, family members, colleagues and friends. This day may not be as well known as International Women’s Day, but its meaning and purpose are just as important. It was started as an initiative by a man who wanted to express gratitude to his father in the late 1990s. The idea caught on and today we have a day that aims to appreciate all the positive examples of male roles, but also to draw attention to the challenges men face in today’s society, to promote gender equality and men’s health.
International Men’s Day is a reminder that even though the men around us may seem like superheroes at first glance, they have their own struggles to deal with, especially the expectations society places on them. To be strong, independent, in control of their emotions, to work hard, and not cry. But that’s only one side of manhood, and this day gives men a space to talk about how they too often struggle with cultural stereotypes, feel deeply but are not supported to talk about their feelings, or admit that they too may suffer from depression, stress, anxiety, or insecurity.
That’s why November 19th is the perfect day to do something special for our beloved men. Even small gestures can have a huge impact. “We’ll tell you that most of the men in our team can’t resist a sweet temptation, so we celebrated Men’s Day with a homemade cake from the clever wife of one of them,” says Jana Morháčová, HR specialist of the YMS team. We all enjoyed the famous cake and words of gratitude for our men.
Taking the time to appreciate and thank everyone is always a good idea, because in everyday life we often give and receive less than we would like. We also reminded ourselves of our company values - respect, cooperation and balance. Our good working environment is created in the synergy of masculine and feminine energy, where we perceive and appreciate each other.
