The value of networks and professional contacts – help or hindrance?
Professional barriers
of respondents cited lack of access to an appropriate network or professional contacts as a barrier to their progression.
of respondents cited that lack of support post-parental leave was a barrier to progression.
The issue
19% of respondents cited lack of access to an appropriate network or professional contacts as a barrier to their progression. There are a number of different challenges faced: events may be held first thing in the morning, or in the evening when women have carer commitments. Events may be dominated by men or the activities may not be inclusive.
This challenge may be particularly acute for women returning from parental leave, who can feel disconnected from their professional circles. 18% of respondents cited that lack of support post-parental leave was a barrier to progression.
21% of survey respondents identified female networking and support forums as an initiative that would make it easier for women to progress.
What our panel said:
Our leadership panel was asked about the value of women’s professional networks with differing views.
“I think women’s networking and women’s awards are a barrier to true equality. What is the benefit of creating a space where men miss out? It’s more important that we come together to blend our skillsets and create a cooperative world of work – rather than building a brick wall between us.”
- Lea Cheesbrough
“Professional networks are a good opportunity to share ideas and discuss what kind of challenges and difficulties people have faced. Some of them become a “male-bashing” opportunity as opposed to having a professional focus. I think you just need to be careful about the organisations or networks that you're joining, and check that they're there for the right reasons.”
- Heidi Carslaw
“I have been to Women In Property lunches, and various other women-only events like Women In Social Housing. It becomes easier to network at those events, because being a female in a very male environment is massively intimidating. I'm only five foot two. Many men are six foot plus. I walk into a room and I struggle to feel like I'm part of it. The blokes standing around in circles with a pint in their hands laughing is a very difficult group to put yourself into. Women’s networking events let me speak to the people that I want to without feeling intimidated.”
- Rebecca Taylor
“I have had quite a lot of pushback, from men, surprisingly, about creating female only spaces. But the reality is that it's still an unequal world, and there are plenty of topics and challenges that are completely and utterly unique to females.”
- Jenny Kitchen
Action needed
To address this issue, businesses should reassess their existing business development activities to ensure they are diverse and offer equal opportunity for female employees to build valuable connections within and outside the organisation.
Networking opportunities need to be provided within working hours, be open to all and not centred around activities which could be perceived as gendered (e.g. golf days). We need better paid family leave so that parents are not having to choose who takes leave on financial grounds. Improved arrangements for returning parents, including good use of keeping in touch days to reintegrate, coaching/training and staggered targets on return from parental leave can all help.
Organisations should ensure that equal consideration is given for promotion, networking and high profile work. At times of redundancy, women tended to be selected first, leading to the campaign by “Pregnant then Screwed”. The law has now been changed so that those who have taken family leave are prioritised for any remaining roles and we need to ensure that decision makers ignore the fact that parents have taken leave or work part-time. The new Employment Rights Bill9 strengthens protection for new mothers, by making it unlawful to dismiss a woman returning from maternity leave for six months after their return, except in specific circumstances.