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Addressing gender-specific challenges
An often-overlooked factor in maintaining a happy and diverse workforce is the impact of gender-specific challenges. Women in mid-career with a huge amount of lived experience are often at the peak of their professional abilities and poised to take on senior leadership roles. However, if companies fail to acknowledge the challenges posed by issues such as the menopause, they risk losing these high-potential employees at a crucial time in their careers. This is not only a loss for the individual but also a missed opportunity for the business.
To combat this, it’ s vital to create a supportive environment where employees feel safe discussing personal health issues and where leaders are educated about the impact of the menopause. Having diversity across all levels of the company, including leadership positions, ensures that different perspectives are represented, leading to more informed and empathetic policies. The cost of not addressing the loss of female talent is high. In the mortgage industry, changes are already visible, serving as a powerful and inspiring example for others to follow but more needs to be done.
Allyship forms an important component within helping women and all colleagues to feel respected, involved and connected every day. To make a real difference, allyship must be active, not passive. It involves seeking diverse perspectives, empowering others by ensuring all voices are heard and valued, standing up for what’ s right, holding others accountable, opening up opportunities for under-represented groups, and challenging our own understanding of different communities. True change requires taking action, not just paying lip service, and using our own unique platforms to create positive impacts where appropriate.
Barclays’ commitment to DE & I
From a Barclays standpoint, there is company-wide recognition around the commercial and social value of DE & I, making it a cornerstone of our corporate strategy. By the end of 2023, Barclays had exceeded its race and ethnicity representation goals two years ahead of schedule, with 5.1 % of UK employees and 21 % of US employees coming from underrepresented ethnicities. The bank has also made significant strides in increasing the number of women in senior leadership roles. As of 2023, 30 % of Barclays’ senior leadership positions were held by women, with a goal of reaching 33 % by 2025.
The bank’ s four-month Aspire programme, designed to help high-potential colleagues develop their leadership skills, saw 223 women participating in workshops and executive coaching sessions in 2023. Barclays is also piloting a new leadership development programme specifically for women in Managing Director roles, focusing on enhancing their strategic leadership skills and supporting their progression within the organisation.
The bank’ s gender resource group, Win, also provides support to women across the organisation by offering targeted career development opportunities and ensuring that the path to senior leadership is accessible to all. Notably, Win is open to both men and women, promoting allyship and inclusivity across the board.
Accelerator and development programmes offer diverse learning approaches to cater to individual needs and while I fully appreciate that not all businesses have the available resources of someone like Barclays, there is still opportunity for businesses of all shapes and sizes to create platforms that provide women with tailored career and personal development opportunities.
What I would tell my younger self
Reflecting on my own journey, there are a few things I would like to tell my younger self. First and foremost, I wish I had embraced my authentic self sooner. Early in my career, I felt the need to hide parts of who I was to fit into an environment that didn’ t always value diversity. I even avoided using my real first name to avoid potential discrimination. Looking back, I realise that the best part of my career has been when I allowed myself to be fully authentic. When I stopped carrying the weight of pretending to be someone I wasn’ t, I saw a marked improvement in both my performance and my relationships at work.
Secondly, I would tell myself to believe in my own abilities and to take more risks. Too often, I held back out of fear or self-doubt. In hindsight, I realise that taking risks and pushing beyond my comfort zone would have accelerated my growth and development.
Finally, as a mother, I’ ve often grappled with balancing my career and being a parent, worrying that I’ m not excelling at either. Over time, I’ ve learned that striving for perfection in every aspect of life, at any given time, is unrealistic. Instead, I now view life as a diverse portfolio, where it’ s about being fully present in the moment. When I’ m at work, I give it my all, and when I’ m with my family, I’ m equally devoted. By focusing on being 100 % present in whatever I’ m doing, I think that I’ ve managed to find a healthier balance.
In summary
The business case for DE & I is clear: diverse teams are more creative, more productive, and ultimately more successful.
As companies like Barclays continue to invest in diversity and inclusion, they not only create more equitable workplaces but also drive innovation and profitability. For those just starting out or early in their careers, the message is simple: be authentic, take risks, and embrace your differences – they are your greatest assets.
Going forward, we need to be bold enough to have the right conversations and ensure that no group feels alienated. Diversity is not a‘ zero sum game’. Talking about one group doesn’ t mean another group is any less important, therefore, it’ s key that everyone feels part of the same conversation. At the end of the day, it’ s about inclusion for all.
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