18/02/2012
One for the women – how to get yourself promoted to the board
1. Don’t be afraid to ask for a plum assignment
2. Find a sponsor with influence who will really advocate for your visibly
3. Give yourself the opportunity to learn a new job and take risks
4. Nail down your pitch, repeat it and believe in it
5. Be honest about what you would bring to the boardroom and how you would bring it
6. When you find an opportunity approach with confidence and don’t second guess yourself
7. Network, network network. Be strategic.
18/02/2012
Recruiters are showing their racial bias??
The gloves are off and the two in the ring are the ‘recruiter industy’ and the ‘equality campaigners’. Apparently a report shows that recruiters are showing racial bias by offering 445% of white applicants jobs rather than only 29% of ethnic minorities.
We and the Race for Opportunity charity that carried out the research point out that whilst its clear that some recruiters see this as a race issue this could be conscious or unconscious bias at play.
Whilst the head of Recruitment and Employment Confederation argued that the research findings jumped to conclusions he said they were not defensive and keen to discuss.
The call was made for recruiters to train staff against unconscious bias and make sure it was merit alone that recruits were being judged on. It is worth adding that increasingly clients are requesting that a diverse short list is provided.
18/02/2012
David Cameron – will he won’t he set boardroom targets
It seems from Australia to China, to our nordic neighbours and back to us…ecomonists the world over are concurring that ‘not’ exploiting womens full business potential is like having all six numbers on the lottery ticket but not validating it! Its a huge opportunity missed and a massive economic oversight. David Cameron said as much as ‘its failing our whole economy’.
His attendance at a Nordic-Baltic Summit is hopefully helping him establish some ideas to get women working at a senior level in Britian and sited much evidence between women in leadership and top business performance.
Both Norway and Iceland established 40% women quotas in 2003.
Someone even produced a rather jazzy figure..startling it is size and its rather large leap but if female entrepreneurship reached there same levels as the US..then there would be 600,000 extra women owned businesses and that would amount to an extra £42 billion to the economey. Perhaps these findings should be shared with the EU??
18/02/2012
Appointing more women directors drops company value?
In the interests of a balanced debate we forward this recent finding. Inclusive Diversity have published many stats from Norway on the health of the bottom line as more women are taken to the boardroom by our nordic neighbours…but apparently we are being contradicted and women lead to a drop in stock price. Strangely this study undertaken by The University of Michegan was actually on Norway with its 40% mandating law. They highlight that younger boards were less experienced and hence less capable. Directly opposing David Cameron as he urges Britain to reach for 25% of women on boards by 2015. This would be an enormous jump from our current 15% but one that he sees will increase performance.
http://journalisted.com/article/352g8
21/01/2012
Its January – don’t work too hard!
Could it happen in your office? The New York Times reported that a dedicated employee of 30 years was dead at his desk for a week before anyone noticed. Apparently such a hard worker that his early starts and ‘constant’ presence at his desk was no cause for alarm. It wasn’t until the weekend that a cleaner smelt a rat!..well what she thought was a rat.
Poor George was 51 and had given over half his life to proofreading manuscripts. Make you sure you don’t work too hard.
14/12/2011
Women Don’t Want Pink Phones – nokia gets 31% are senior women
Harvard Business Review states that women represent the worlds biggest economic opportunity. Within five years womens income will have increased by 5 trillion dollars. Their triggers for spending and the lens applied to them is however different and whilst this is not ‘knew news’ it is the smartest of companies that are investing in making sure their products fit the women…and it aint about pink phones!
Nokia policy and commitment to diversity and ensuring that the workforce at Nokia understand they worldwide customer base and to that end Nokia have achieved where others haven’t in securing 31% of women into their senior positions.
Whereas men are motivated by gizmos and the tech spread women want to know how it aids ‘their life’. Research tells us that women are twice as likely to have never downloaded an app on their phone ever. Nokia has countered that by developing apps that challenge and appeal to women. Companies that harness the marketing differentiators for men and women and are able to back this up with a workplace that understands that people everywhere are different whether they work for the company or use the products will be in the best stead in this constricting market with economic uncertainty the talk of the day.
14/12/2011
Top Tips for a Risk Free (and potentially fun free) Xmas Party
- Remind employees that the office party is no time for fun
- Tell them again you’re serious about not having fun – circulate anti-harassment policy before event
- To make sure its really joyless, invite spouses
- Ban anatomically correct chocolate – it may invite a sexual harassment suit
- Kill the slow dance music – enhances grope opportunities. Many think safer still is to ban all dancing.
- Snip the mistletoe
- Unplug the zerox machine – if possible avoid liability and do not have a photocopier within 5 miles for the temptation to photocopy ones body parts is hard to resist
14/12/2011
When social media and politically incorrect firms combine?
A US firm has gone to the wall following leaked photos of staff that specialize in repossessing homes dressed up as homeless people for Halloween. The controversary bas plaid out over the NY times but used to the spotlight they have already faced allegations of bullying vulnerable homeowners. Long shot is that 89 staff lose their jobs as misguided idea of fun turns sour!
14/12/2011
Duke Law school has run a controversial seminar entitled ‘what not to wear’
Have a run through and see if you would make it through the dress and hygiene challenge?
- underwear – spanx are a great foundation garment, get yourself fitted for a bra
- makeup – you ‘do need to wear it’ with light hair consider a brown mascara, never wear eyeliner on the bottom lid..it makes you look old and tired (may need to tell Kate and Pippa Middleton???)
- no short skirts or stillettos as that would distract an interviewer from the job at hand
- do wear deodorant, we like Dove ultimate unfragranced, no perfume and stilettos are too exciting as are patterned tights!
14/12/2011
68% of barristers and 70% of high court judges are privately educated
Nick Clegg delivered a speach urging the legal sector to stamp out nepotism. The whole..’represent people in court represent the community in membership’. Its not a new one. With 9 out of ten QC’s being male and 19 out of 20 being white its not without considerable statistic background that the lack of social mobility in the legal sector has been so widely targeted.
Initiatives like PRIME are working to stop that by giving kids from underprivledged background the opportunity to do work experience at law firms. Some feel the entire set up is wrong and that kids are forced to get perfect results at GCSE and A-Level and make specialised choices earlier than is necessary and potentially there is an opportunity to intervene early rather than try and re-correct the balance at a later point.