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A hard road to the top

A hard road to the top

Mark.Freed / 27 Nov 2019

I was very interested to read an article in Bloomberg earlier this month about women deserting trading floors as they are blocked from the path to management. It seems that for all the enthusiasm that financial companies show about bringing more women into their workforce, there is significantly less desire to have them at the top table.

The article suggests that one of the key factors in this trend is a subtle sexism that gradually pushes potential high-flyers out of the senior management career path. It highlights “the daily grind that wears women down”, such as being regularly interrupted in meetings, receiving comparatively lower pay (which some male colleagues even suggest is justified) and having to work harder than men to be seen as their equal. There are also not enough female role models, which could be a negative feedback loop, as a lack of senior women at any one point in time risks leading to a lack of senior women several years down the line.

In the coming years, companies will have to change their cultures if they are honest about wanting a better gender balance. But there is also one solution that can start working straight away. It’s something I have talked about before – most recently on 13 November – and it’s relatively straightforward to do. Companies could actively look for women to fill senior level roles.

This would instantly provide role models for those still progressing in their careers and be a clear statement that the company is serious about giving women the same opportunities as men. Our E2W “Three Role Challenge” is a part of this (and if you’re interested in the idea, I encourage you to contact us), but it’s something that any company can do if it has the desire. We know from our talent pool that there are many great female candidates out there. You just have to open the door to them.

If you are up for the challenge and want to discuss in more detail how we can support your recruitment needs, please get in touch mark.freed@e2w.co

 


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