"Sisters Are Doin' It for Themselves" was a hit duet on the radio in 1985. This collaboration between the British band the Eurythmics and American R&B icon Aretha Franklin reached the Top 20 on both sides of the Atlantic.

This tune of empowerment across the ocean continues 20 years later in the fight to crash the glass ceiling and fight workplace discrimination. The Cranfield School of Management in London has published making good connections: best practice for women’s corporate networks. This study reports a number of interesting findings on how women’s networks are making a difference in the workplace. Here is one example:

“Whilst the original objectives of women’s networks were to focus on facilitating women’s careers, the pressure from business has meant that most network leaders focus on benefits to the company. These are primarily in the areas of recruitment, retention and reputation.”

Why invest in the power of networks? Because even though women have made strides in the workplace, there is still room for change. There is still workplace discrimination. There is still a significant lack of pay parity. Company networks and social networks for recruiting are making a difference. Now we know women’s networks even improve company performance – a bottom line benefit the executive suite will enjoy.