Member Article

UK lags behind Europe on workplace gender equality

Hallidays set a great example as the UK lags behind Europe on workplace gender equality

Recent press commented on the ‘Gender pay gap 5% for millennials’.

“The gender pay gap for women in their 20’s has halved to five per cent – but much of the progress will be undone in later life. Young women starting in the world of work will still earn ‘significantly’ less than their male counterparts over their careers, according to the Resolution Foundation think tank.” Says Alan Jones, Metro.

The Financial Times ‘Women at the Top’ profile comments that women are under-represented at senior executive level in UK companies. However, at Hallidays 50% of our directors are women, and over 50% of our entire team is female.

Research shows that more diverse companies often perform better. As a result, change is coming to business leadership – but too slowly, and even among those companies getting it right momentum can prove hard to maintain.

The CIPD’s article of 16th May 2016 talks about how the UK lags behind EU neighbours on workplace gender equality. The UK is falling behind other European countries on workplace gender equality, ranking in eleventh place – behind the Nordics, France and Spain – according to a new survey.

The study found women to be widely underrepresented at board level. Norway has the highest proportion of women on boards (36 per cent), owing partly to a legislation-based quota system introduced in 2006. In France, Finland and Sweden around 30 per cent of board members are women. In Denmark, the UK, Italy and Germany, it is around 26 per cent, while in Estonia the proportion is only 8 per cent.

At Hallidays one of the female partners, Valerie Wain, heads up a team within Hallidays, and is FD of Hallidays Group Limited and Hallidays Financial Services Limited, while Lyndsey Hayes, heads up the IT team, and Nichola Coles and Anna Bennett provide their respective expertise on Credit Unions and Academies at board level.

Hallidays believe that this mix helps the teams internally due to different approaches and styles, and can see the same benefits when working with their clients, prospects and introducers. However Hallidays actually take on team members for their overall ‘attitude’ and use DISC profiling to assist in selecting the right mix of people.

“The more aligned we are with our clients the better we can help them achieve their personal and business objectives. If our clients achieve their goals we achieve ours. Our clients really appreciate the Lifecycle review we take and recent client happiness surveys reflect this with a 97% score.”

Nigel Bennett, Managing Partner

Hallidays can help with communication within teams, insights into team leadership and how to get better results. If you would like to develop strategies to support your people and your business call our HR team or Jane Bennett on 0161 476 8276 or email hello@hallidays.co.uk. To attend our next Business AM seminar Tuesday 31st January 7.45a.m.-10a.m., on ‘Develop your competitive strategy’. Email events@hallidays.co.uk to reserve your place.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Hallidays .