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Post by Admin on Nov 28, 2014 12:15:05 GMT
We would be interested to hear about any initiatives that firms/companies are running to improve the retention rate of women - including what has and has not worked. Please share your experiences below.
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Norton Rose Fulbright
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Post by Norton Rose Fulbright on Nov 28, 2014 12:20:25 GMT
 Early WiN at Norton Rose Fulbright Norton Rose Fulbright has launched a women’s network specifically for people at the practice in the early to mid-stages of their careers. Early WiN is part of the existing Women in Norton Rose Fulbright Network (WiN) and is open to individuals from all areas within the practice. Leonie Hamway, Kate Langley and Nita Mistry, junior associates at the practice, discuss below how they have benefitted from women’s networks and the motivations behind the launch of Early WiN.Why is it important to have women’s networks in law firms? A women’s network provides a forum in which women from all parts of the business can meet each other and exchange ideas and experiences – creating a sense of camaraderie and belonging. It creates a platform for exciting and educational events including everything from talks and lectures to workshops on boosting confidence in the workplace. It is an essential tool in helping to increase diversity and the retention of women at all levels within the business. Why was Early WiN formed? Early WiN has been set up to provide help and advice to those who may not otherwise yet have the benefit of contacts or experience to assist and support them in their career progression. Key focuses of the network include enabling individuals to achieve their potential and dispelling preconceptions about limits to career progression on account of gender. We want to help give junior members the confidence and skills they need to develop long and fulfilling careers. What events and initiatives does Early WiN offer? The network formally launched on 17 September with a welcome drinks for new joiners. This year we have run lunchtime events at which two to three fee earners (from just below partner level) have spoken candidly about their backgrounds and careers to date and answered questions from the audience. Attendees also had the opportunity to submit questions anonymously ahead of the talks. Looking ahead at the Early WiN calendar, we are organising a number of events including: further lunchtime talks given by people within the practice and external speakers, internal networking lunches, an internal speed networking event and also an external networking event with a special guest speaker. Are men allowed to be involved in Early WiN? Absolutely – it is encouraged. Early WiN will be available to all new joiners and current members of the practice, whether male or female. The overriding ethos of the network is gender equality and fostering an inclusive environment in which women and men progress together equally. We have a number of men involved in WiN from all parts of the business. Inevitably, the “W” in WiN can sometimes make men feel excluded from the group, so we work very hard to ensure that male participation is encouraged at every stage, from the attendance of events right up to becoming a member of the Steering Committee. How has WiN helped you? Leonie: It can be tough starting a new job and WiN helped me find a place with the practice particularly as a career changer. WiN gave me (and many others) a voice at a stage in my career where in many other parts of my job I was fairly junior. WiN was a welcoming group that openly discussed important issues that directly related to my experiences. Nita: WiN has provided me with a platform to network internally, in particular with more senior members of the practice. It provides valuable opportunities to understand career challenges faced by women and their experience and advice on overcoming such challenges. Kate: WiN events have been of great benefit, from opportunities to network externally to learning from the experiences of others within the practice. I have enjoyed the responsibility of organising Early WiN events and being able to contribute positively to the network. I am committed to establishing greater gender balance in the legal profession, especially within the senior levels and hope that in turn Early WiN can help achieve this aim. Leonie’s work focusses on bribery, corruption and regulatory investigations, Nita’s practice areas are contentious construction, energy and transport work. Kate focusses on commercial litigation and contentious regulatory work, and is a Professional Ambassador for Aspiring Solicitors, an initiative aimed at providing students from underrepresented groups with access to the legal profession. |
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Post by Admin on Feb 25, 2015 11:39:58 GMT
A short article on the Lean In group at the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development - may give you some ideas of things you can do in your firms/companies:
Connect4Women Leans In
Many of us have read Sheryl Sandberg’s Lean In and perhaps liked it a lot or completely disagreed with it. Regardless of our reaction to the book, however, most of us will agree that the messages in the book are a powerful call to action to do more than just read and move on. The author’s expressed hope at the end of the book is that women will not only keep talking about the ideas that she raises, but will form “Lean In Circles” to facilitate the dialogue.
Connect4Women did just that. In July of last year, Katya Chertova, Jelena Madir and Lucie Mouzin launched Connect4Women’s Lean In Circle.
What is it? A Lean In Circle is a group of up to 15 peers who meet on a monthly basis to explore professional topics and exchange personal experiences. The Lean In organisation describes Circles “like a book club focused on helping members achieve their goals.”
If you follow the "kick off" guidelines given out on Lean In's site, a circle goes something like this: Three minutes of introduction. Twenty minutes to watch an instructional video (topics range from negotiation to team dynamics and effective leadership strategies). Exercises and personal stories. Goal-setting. Then meeting scheduling.
Formal, but flexible too
And yet the beauty of Lean In is that, despite the seeming formality, you can shape the group however you wish in line with the members’ interests and goals. The meetings that Connect4Women launched in July focussed on learning new skills. Before each meeting, members are expected to watch a short online video on a topic developed by Stanford University’s Clayman Institute of Gender Research and a broad range of subject matter experts. Then, during the Circle meeting, the group explores the topic more deeply, usually through a number of case studies and exercises.
So far, we have covered such topics as managing difficult conversations, communicating with confidence and effective negotiation skills. Last week, we paired up with another Lean In Circle in the City, run by Shearman & Sterling LLP, a law firm just across the street from Exchange Square. As a discussion topic, we decided to reflect on a recent Oliver Wyman report on “Women in Financial Services”, which attempts to answer the perennial question of why there are so few women at top echelons of the financial services industry. Is it the lack of role models? Aggressive culture? Overly narrow models for leadership? Unconscious biases where assertive women are quickly labelled as too aggressive and somewhat irritable? While it would be naïve to assume that anyone can decisively answer these complex questions, let alone during an hour-long discussion, it is clear that any change must be supported by a broader organisational ecosystem that supports gender diversity, rather than crude targets and quotas, which can be counter-productive and pose the risk of “tokenism.”
Finally, how effective have women’s networks been in helping women gain more confidence and encourage their professional and personal development or in strategically and meaningfully driving organisational change?
The jury is still out. Understandably, this type of network will not appeal to everyone. However, for many, it will play a vital role in empowering women to work together, making networking more accessible and learning from, and being inspired by, role models.
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