Rigid working practices can impact women’s careers
Navigating working styles and practices can be complex, as each person’s career trajectory is entirely unique and rarely linear. Most people experience ‘career seasons,’ in which their goals and priorities change based on their level of experience, personal circumstances, and life choices.
This is particularly relevant to women who want to develop their careers and have a family where they're the primary caregiver, especially in a child’s first years. The traditional office-based working model is potentially restrictive to women with these aspirations, with inflexibility around work locations, days, and hours making it difficult for some to return to the workforce after family leave, without sacrificing time with their children.
Our research shows that it’s perhaps not coincidental that the number of female CEOs and women in leadership positions began to rise during the same period that flexible working became more commonplace in UK businesses. This supports the perspective that adopting a flexible working model can help businesses to support women throughout all phases of their careers and lives, ensuring that their valuable contributions to the workforce aren’t lost.
For example, women just starting their careers in junior roles might be interested in experiencing the office environment for the first time. Alternatively, women who are raising a family may benefit from reducing the number of days they work each week, or having the option to work during evenings or weekends rather than weekdays. This is the sort of agile approach that helps to retain female talent in the long term.
It’s equally important to lay the right foundations to retain and attract the valuable skills and experience of mid-life women. For those women who may have dedicated time to raising a family earlier in their careers, having the flexibility and support to continue learning, developing, and contributing is crucial.
Agile is the way forward
To nurture and retain talent in the workplace, businesses need to carefully consider their working practices.
We must move away from the 'home versus office' debate and take a pragmatic approach, considering the essential work, who does it, how it's done, and where. This approach can attract diverse skills, new perspectives, and innovative thinking, crucial for staying ahead in business.
An agile mindset helps businesses to create an environment that empowers not just women, but all of their people to be inspired, trusted, and accountable.
For more information and guidance on implementing flexible working practices in your business, contact Carolyn Hicks.
