Flexible employers get the cream of the crop. Flexible employers genuinely do keep all of the talent. By which I mean they do not lose women in the droves that less flexible companies do. (Because obviously women are a huge talent and a resource often lost.)
When a company introduces flexible working practices it reaps the rewards. It’s not just the women staying on, and going into the leadership pipeline, the men like it, too.
Here’s an exchange reported to me by someone working in a large company:
There is still pressure on young men to join the “boys club” in my experience. One of our ex colleague’s husband was told his chances of promotion were zero if he took extended paternity leave 🙁
I also witnessed a new start coming in to our office for an introductory meeting with one of our management team yesterday and the conversation soon went like this – “So, most importantly are you an Arsenal or Chelsea fan?” Firstly that risks being discriminatory and secondly it puts pressure on a young guy to display “acceptable” traits of masculinity.
The Old Boys Club
Reading that I’m reminded of the time when to progress in the police you had to be a freemason (an organisation which prohibited women joining) whether you wanted to or not.
The ‘Old Boys Network’ is a huge barrier to women’s advancement. We all want to see the back of it. Grabbing a drink after work because you don’t have to rush off and pick up the kids, or do your parent’s shopping, or simply put dinner together has never helped women. A lot of young men don’t like it either. Women feel often pressure to confirm to male norms of behaviour to get ahead. Young men feel pressurised to conform to stereotypical male behaviour to maintain their place in the pecking order. It’s toxic for all genders.
Flexible Working
There are ways to change this. Encouraging flexible working is one way. The McKinsey Report Women in the Workplace 2022, is based on surveys in the US but I think it has something to tell us, too.
Here’s an extract:
This research revealed that we’re amid a “Great Breakup.” Women are demanding more from work, and they’re leaving their companies in unprecedented numbers to get it. Women leaders are switching jobs at the highest rates we’ve ever seen—and at higher rates than men in leadership. That could have serious implications for companies. Women are already significantly underrepresented in leadership. For years, fewer women have risen through the ranks because of the “broken rung” at the first step up to management. Now, companies are struggling to hold onto the relatively few women leaders they have. And all of these dynamics are even more pronounced for women of color.
The reasons women leaders are stepping away from their companies are telling. Women leaders are just as ambitious as men, but at many companies, they face headwinds that signal it will be harder to advance. They’re more likely to experience belittling microaggressions, such as having their judgment questioned or being mistaken for someone more junior. They’re doing more to support employee well-being and foster inclusion, but this critical work is spreading them thin and going mostly unrewarded. And finally, it’s increasingly important to women leaders that they work for companies that prioritize flexibility, employee well-being, and diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI).
So, Come on Employers, Flex Those working Conditions!
You’ll be losing out if you don’t.
RenewYou, My Tried and Tested Career Booster!
RenewYou has helped thousands of women make positive and lasting change in their lives. I deliver it one-to-one as part of a bespoke coaching package for women looking to move into leadership, to progress their career, or who wish to be the absolute best version of themselves.
Posted on November 3rd, 2022 by Jane
