In light of the government publishing companies’ gender pay gaps, what other initiatives would help companies work towards gender equality?
· I personally find the Government’s initiative to mandate transparency on gender pay to be hugely beneficial for exposing issues of inequality between gender
· The availability of data from companies forms an important part of research which I think should be just the beginning of really understanding why and how there is a discrepancy in how different people are paid. I really hope that we see more data on a granular level to enlighten this issue further
· In particular, I’d be interested in understanding at which levels of seniority does the gender pay gay exist, as a way to understand how our working cultures effect remuneration policies, such as how people are promoted, policies around maternity leave and how this affects their career ascent
· I’d also love to see data on the gap between diverse sets of group – not just between gender – but between age, race, socio-economic background in an effort to promote more diversity and inclusion in the work place in a real way
What are your views on the gender seniority gap? Does it apply to your industry?
· In my experience, I’m fortunate to work for the RELX group – a company that strongly promotes equality and inclusion, but I am fully aware of the lack of senior female leaders in my organisation and many others in the consultancy world. There are multiple initiatives which support an increase in female leadership on senior leadership teams and business strategy consulting has a considerable way to go to even out the numbers
· I really believe that closing the gender seniority gap stems from a healthy working culture where women are able to be themselves and feel completely on a level footing with their counterparts – I’ve seen this through my empowered female senior leaders who lead by example
· I think this comes from the individual – a sense of empowerment to feel that you are never at a disadvantage for being a woman and treating everyone with total respect, regardless of their gender or diversity. If your workforce has this mindset, it’s only a good thing
What advice would you have for women starting their careers in your sector?
· I’d really encourage girls to undertake as many internships as possible – find your confidence in exploring the workplace in many different facets
· Having a mentor inside and outside an organisation is hugely beneficial in keeping perspective and realising your self-worth in the world of work
· Also, don’t be afraid to fail when you are starting out – create opportunities and put yourself in situations where you are stretching yourself because you will always learn from them one way or another!
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