Business magazine: Focus on women in business

Emma Little, CEO/Founder of ExecSpace

Venue finding/Events/Accommodation

Employees: 14

What was the idea behind the company, when was it founded and what does it do?

ExecSpace was founded in 2008. I was keen to forge a successful career but didn’t want to leave Scotland. It took me a while to settle on my course of action but when I came up with the concept of venue finding, I genuinely thought I’d invented it. After researching the market, I realised it was saturated but not necessarily with competitors that looked after their clients as well as I thought we could.

Do women have attributes that differ from men’s in the business you operate in?

My recruitment policy is simple – recruit on attitude and our core values: friendliness, honesty, transparency and professionalism – and fundamentally being a decent person. I couldn’t care less about sex, sexuality, race, education, background and not infrequently, even experience. It’s probably important to note that there do tend to be more female candidates as it’s a more female orientated industry  than some.

Is there still a need to address the gender balance in terms of women in the workplace and their success at senior levels?

It’s still an issue. However, I do think that we need to increasingly all think of ourselves as business people, not business men or women. Let’s focus on what we are made up of – values, behaviours, strength of character – and less about what sex we are. I worry that some of the positive discrimination initiatives that are being put in will lead people to doubt the ability of some female leaders. For me it’s absolutely nuts to pay someone a different rate because of their sex. This makes absolutely no business sense. This is a nonsense and definitely needs rectified.

Have you suffered from gender discrimination and has it affected your being an entrepreneur?

I probably have experienced sexism/ageism by a couple of people but it’s how you deal with it that counts. Being an entrepreneur is tough. In some ways as a female, perhaps it’s been easier as we tend to open up and talk more.

What should business do to ensure that women progress through the ranks without disadvantage?

Focus on what matters when recruiting and promoting – values and strength of character – if you get this right, you’ll get the results.

What has been the best business advice you have received?

Don’t forget to recruit on attitude and values with senior hires too; as the business grows, don’t over complicate things – happy customers and bottom line; don’t apologise for being a leader, be strong and stick to your guns.

Is being a member of a women’s business network helpful?

I like WEConnect International, a global organisation that connects women-owned business to multinational corporations. It helps you to build relationships with senior procurement professionals who could take two years of cold calling to connect with.

How can women raise their profile in the business community, realise more of their potential and why would that benefit the economy?

Just be yourself, be authentic, forget what sex you are and focus on being the best business person you can be. If we value people on their attitude and values and not on their sex or anything else that’s just academic when it comes to business performance, businesses and the economy will get the results.

Emma Marriott, (front right) Managing Director of Contract Scotland Ltd, Construction & Engineering recruitment

Employees: 41 – 66 per cent female

When was the company founded and what does it do?

Founded in 1990 we supply staff to the construction industry. We have an International division focused on attracting European talent to address the skills shortage and a Social Enterprise that is providing Graduates with entry to the construction industry.

Is there a shortfall in women represented in the construction professions?

Frustratingly there is and while more firms are being innovative in addressing diversity, that impact is yet to be felt. ONS figures show that only 14 per cent of the UK construction sector is made up of women and has barely changed in the past 10 years. There are a number of reasons, largely attributed to the education sector who are not proactive in encouraging girls to consider a career in construction. The construction industry still needs to be more proactive. Offering flexible working, having better welfare benefits and structured career progression is attractive to both men and women, but it could certainly sway more women. Clients in the industry must play their part: it’s their lack of weight of interest and measurement that won’t inspire change to happen quickly.

How is Contract Scotland approaching these issues?

We have long worked with a number of universities to promote careers in construction  and we treat every application individually and present jobs suitable to each applicant’s skills, regardless of gender. We are talking to clients daily as to their short and long term plans in creating opportunities for women. If you are only appealing to 50 per cent of the workforce the much publicised skills shortage will continue. 

Are young women showing an increasing interest in coming aboard in this sector?

Largely yes because of the national campaigns aimed at promoting STEM at a school level and firms taking an active partnership but progress is slow. We have seen many female Commercial Directors carve out fantastic careers and it’s vital that these women are promoted as role models for new entrants.

How would you sum up your investment in skills and people?

Each staff member is treated as an individual and is encouraged to seek training and development. We have a buddy like system that provides confidence and support to ensure you don’t have to be alone, similarly not having a commission structure ensures that each team member works together with the interest of the candidate at the forefront of decision making – not what fee they will earn. As recruiters we generally like competition but not internally and this makes for a very productive team approach with the shared vision of being the most successful in our field.

What has been the best business advice you have received?

If you focus on getting the process right and providing excellent service then sales will come. The commission structures of the vast majority of recruitment firms often demand impossible Key Performance Indicators that focus on volume and not quality.  We removed commission for our team in 1999. We are working in a people industry where listening and solving problems are key components to success. If you start speaking about people in numbers then in our opinion you have recruitment wrong.

Jennifer Hallwood, Director of FeedMyHappy.com, provider of self improvement and welfare courses

Employees: A team of six

What was the idea behind the company, when was it founded and what does it do?

FeedMyHappy was launched in January of this year. Our aim is to create a digital space where people can go to find courses and inspiration to create a more fulfilled and happy life.

Do women tend to focus on different needs and approaches than their male counterparts?

Yes, often women are more open to the ‘softer’ skill sets and keen to engage their emotional intelligence at work.

However, building confidence, positivity, assertiveness and mindfulness can all help women move forward in the workplace

Is there a need to address the gender balance in the workplace and women’s success at senior levels?

There’s a need to address the gender balance in the workplace from around middle management upwards, not just senior levels. Studies show that men initiate salary negotiations four times as often as women do. When women do negotiate, they ask for 30 per cent less than their male counterparts.The reason? Lack of confidence. Confidence and a realisation of your own worth is something that most women definitely need to work on.

What should business do to ensure that women progress through the ranks without disadvantage?

As an employer, my first job is to make our business as accommodating as possible to people with other responsibilities; I have people working flexible hours, home-working, time off is given for appointments for doctors/dentists without time being required to be ‘made-up’. Less rigidity can help employees feel more valued and appreciated and in turn makes them happier to work for you.

Have you suffered from gender discrimination and has it affected your approach to being an entrepreneur?

On occasion. My co-director in FeedMyHappy and TEFL Org UK (where I’m MD) is male and there are times when people presume he’s the final decision-maker purely because he is male and that is frustrating.

What has been the best business advice you have received and would like to pass on?

I’ve learnt that personally being a values–led company is the most important thing. You have to display the values of your business at all times when dealing with people. They are your greatest asset and when it comes to recruitment, attitude can’t be taught, aptitude can.

Have you found being a member of a women’s business network helpful to your career?

I’m a member of two women’s business groups, one local and one national (the HBWC and ASB).

How can women raise their profile in the Scottish business community and how can they realise more of their potential?

There are lots of great initiatives currently working to promote gender within Scotland from Investing Women, to Women 5050, to Women’s Enterprise Scotland and not forgetting all the different business networks associated with the ASB. The three main political leaders are women. We are exceptionally lucky to have these role models. It’s also important that we celebrate female business leaders in order for the next generation of entrepreneurs to come forward.

Marlene Shiels, Chief Executive of Capital Credit Union, Financial services

Employees: 18

When was the company founded and what does it do?

The company was founded in September 1989. Capital Credit Union is a member-owned financial services co-operative providing convenient savings, affordable loans and mortgages to people from all walks of life.  Capital Credit Union currently has a membership of over 22,000 people saving and borrowing and is managing £27m of members assets.

Is there a need to address the gender balance in the financial services industry, which has been traditionally male dominated?

Yes, there are fewer women in senior positions in financial services and this is a lost opportunity for the sector. Women are great multi-taskers, loyal and hard working, given the right environment they can make a real difference at every level in business.

What are the main things business can/should do to ensure that women progress through the ranks without disadvantage?

Businesses need to ensure they have a supportive culture for women to succeed and HR policies to support women. This support needs to come from the top, and filter through to every person in the organisation, but particularly the decision makers. Too often a business has a supportive culture and policies, but managers don’t “get it”.

What has been the best business advice you have received?

My previous Chairman and Mentor, John Cormack, taught me how to network and this advice has helped open many doors.

Is being a member of a women’s business network helpful?

As a member of the World Council of Credit Unions (WOCCU) Women’s Leadership Development Programme, the support received from women facing similar challenges provided an excellent learning environment.

Alison Welsh, (back rown right) Director of Square Circle HR, Human Resources services

Employees: Nine HR Consultants

When was the company founded and what does it do? 

Founded in 2006 Square Circle HR offers a complete outsourced HR function for small to medium sized organisations.

The HR industry would, it appears, give you a unique insight into gender-related issues within business. What are the main themes?

The ratio of female to male Senior Managers and Directors across the businesses we support is still heavily skewed to males.  We see some imbalance at the recruitment stage. For example for positions in architecture, engineering, technology, IT and Production, etc. Within other sectors female applicants can outnumber males. So there is still a significant imbalance between males and females in terms of subject and career choices both at school and university. Where a dominant gender and style exists this can lead to a particular culture within an organisation. I believe this can serve to limit the progress of women but often in a more subtle way in terms of unconscious bias. Research also supports that females are more likely to have self-limiting beliefs than males, or at least openly admit to having them. In the main it is still females who appear to make compromises in their work life, often putting their careers on hold to take time off to have children. Since its introduction in 2015 we, as a business, have not yet seen a significant uptake in Shared Parental Leave. It will be interesting to monitor how this develops over time.

Is there still a need to address the gender balance and women’s success at senior levels?

I believe that more research, awareness and planned activity is needed. I believe that the work needs to start in early years education, through school and university. Businesses of all sizes should really look closely at their organisation and at where biases may exist.  

Have you experienced gender discrimination and has it affected your approach to business?

I was aware that my male counterparts were moved into different roles to broaden their experience while my career path was mapped out in HR. I do believe that taking time off to have children, and working reduced hours for a while, has had an effect to slow down my career progression and limit opportunities. This did result in internal conflict between me wanting to develop my career and also wanting to be there for my children, a conflict that my male counterparts didn’t seem to have. Having the opportunity to set up a business with two other women, with 10 children between us, has allowed some freedom to balance work and family commitments, but often by catching up with work when the children are in bed.        

What can businesses do to ensure that women progress without disadvantage?

To really look at their recruitment practices, engage with schools and universities where this is possible. Understand the organisational culture, how leaders are identified and nurtured, look at what the practices are around reward and staff development. Look at work patterns and see how much emphasis is given to balancing life outside of work with the objectives of the business. To challenge ingrained practices to see what is possible in terms of more creative ways of working. Have career aspiration discussions with people male and female at a very early stage in their career and ongoing without ‘limiting’ potential opportunity. Identify role model and mentoring opportunities. To let go of tried and tested practices where this may bring about a benefit for individuals and the organisation.

What has been the best business advice you have received?

The only person that can change your situation is yourself. 

How can women can raise their profile in the Scottish business community and why would that benefit the economy?

There is a saying which I believe is attributed to Gandhi – ‘you must be the change you wish to see in the world’. In other words, if we want to change anything, we first need to change ourselves. If each woman does as much as she can do within her own field of influence then this will benefit others.

Audrey Junner

Miller Samuel

Hill Brown

Law firm

Title: Partner

What is your area of specialism?

Licensing Law, covering all matters connected with liquor licensing, civic licensing and gambling law.

Is gender equality, especially at partner level, being achieved sufficiently quickly in the law?

Since their inception Miller Samuel have been praised for the gender balance in their boardroom, and solicitors rising through the ranks over the years have described the atmosphere as having a nurturing quality for that very reason. Our newly merged firm has 13 Partners, six of whom are female, so there remains a strong gender balance at the top level. We also have three female trainee solicitors, out of a total of five, so we are achieving equality across the board. We are perhaps unique in this regard, particularly if you look at the judicial bench. However, with so many quality female law graduates it is, in my view, only a matter of time before the profession accepts that change is inevitable.

Have you in the past suffered from gender discrimination and how has it affected your ambition and career aspirations?

l have felt an element of resistance from some, but not all, of what l would describe as our ‘old school’ clients. One in particular refused to allow me to represent him in a challenging case at an early stage in my career. After giving my ego a stern talking to l vowed not to take it personally and, if anything, it gave me the motivation to work harder and prove them wrong. Two years later l acted for the chap again and he was very pleased with the service.

What can the profession do to ensure that women progress without disadvantage?

Of our six female Partners, four successfully juggle a legal career and children. That represents almost a third of the partnership which is a statistic we are particularly proud of. Communication is key in finding a flexible working arrangement built on trust that suits both the firm and the female professional. Access to email via iPhone and remote access from home has made seamlessly covering client needs out of the office much easier. We also recognise that, especially in the early years when the children are still young, it can be tough but it’s important for both the firm and the female professional to appreciate that this phase doesn’t go on forever and even quite minor or temporary changes help facilitate the juggling process. In being able to retain senior female legal professionals, we as a firm have benefited hugely from the wealth of experience, multi-tasking/time management skills, objectivity and pragmatism that these women bring.

What has been the best business advice you have received and would like to pass on?

Be the best at what you do. Marketing gimmicks and bells and whistles will only take you so far. Delivering an expert client-centric service, with a focus on quality and added value will help establish a reputation which is worth its weight in gold. I will also always remember Dame Elish Angiolini telling me that the key to success in law is having a life outside it.

Simone Hart Sibbald, Managing Director, Perfect Services Solutions,

Ventilation hygiene

Employees: 30

When was the company founded and what does it do?

Perfect Service Solutions was founded in 2006. We have grown and expanded so that we are now one of Scotland’s leading ventilation hygiene companies – cleaning ductwork for extracting grease in kitchens and ductwork supplying fresh air in buildings and servicing some of the largest companies operating within the food industry.

This is a male-dominated industry. Has this presented any problems to you as a woman working within it?

Yes, indeed it is a male-dominated industry. This hasn’t proved to be a barrier at all for me though. It’s often a matter of mind-set and strength of character. Industry is more enlightened and embraces the diversity and dynamics that women bring to the table.

Is there still, in your view, a need to address the gender balance in terms of women in the workplace and do they experience obstacles to success at senior levels?  

It’s been called a glass ceiling, a glass pyramid ... I prefer a glass obstacle course because women experience formal and informal barriers in the workplace. These include exclusion from the “Old Boys’ Club”, outright sexism, a lack of women role models, and difficult work-life choices. Self-confidence is another obstacle. However, the workplace is definitely more enlightened. We may still have some work to do in primary and secondary education. Are our secondary age girls being dissuaded from subject choices that are perceived as male-orientated? The focus on gender imbalance in the workplace may indeed start in school nowadays. 

Have you suffered from gender discrimination and has it affected your approach to business? 

I haven’t perceived or felt any direct gender discrimination although I have been on the receiving end of some male chauvinism.  The experience came at a time when I felt confident and supported so I knew it was their problem, not mine.  The positive male influences meant I had no fear of entering a meeting room full of men and contributing my thoughts, ideas and views.

What are the main things business should do to ensure that women progress through the ranks without disadvantage?

I think business can recognise output rather than input. What a woman can and will contribute to a company is substantial. And that is despite career breaks due to maternity leave and priorities around children. In fact, it is even because of those circumstances, changes, shifting ideals that they can be amongst the best, most stable, flexible, hard-working and committed employees that a company can have. Women will most often put themselves out before letting anyone else down.

What has been the best business advice you have received and would like to pass on?

That behaviour breeds behaviour. How you behave as a leader dictates how your company performs and what it is known for.

Have you found being a member of a women’s business network helpful?

Yes, but I have also found being a member of mixed business networks helpful. I won’t do one without the other.

How can women raise their profile in the Scottish business community, realise more of their potential and why would that benefit the economy?

By gathering social capital, networking and attending relevant events for business development as well as personal development. Women bring emotional intelligence to business and decision making. Their natural desire to care for others makes them people centric and good employers. Also, if as many women started businesses as men we would boost the economy.

I read recently ‘If women set up businesses at the same rate as men, the UK would have an additional one million entrepreneurs.’ A startling statistic which truly highlights the potential benefit to the economy!

Fiona Godsman, Chief Executive, Scottish Institute for Enterprise,

Promoting entrepreneurship among students

Employees: 14 with 36 interns based in universities and college 

When was the organisation founded and what does it do?

Founded in 2000, SIE is the national organisation for promoting and supporting enterprise and entrepreneurship in Scotland’s universities and colleges.

The relatively low levels of entrepreneurship in general are still a concern in Scotland and the number of female entrepreneurs lags behind that of males. Why?

Female entrepreneurs are particularly disadvantaged by the patriarchal finance industry. I know of some inspirational young female entrepreneurs however, such as Amanda Day from All Day Designs, Rachel Hanretty from Mademoiselle Macaron and Rebecca Pick of Pick Protection, who don’t let potential barriers get in their way, so I’m hopeful that the future will be brighter.

Is there still a need to address the gender balance in terms of women in the workplace and do they suffer from confidence issues that present obstacles to success at senior levels?

Yes. The proportion at senior levels is still far too low. Women are still the ones who are expected to juggle work and family commitments, and promotion often makes that harder. Also, women’s salaries still tend to be lower than their partner’s, so from a family finance perspective, it’s often the woman that sacrifices her career at the mid-career point, which has implications later.

Have you personally suffered from gender discrimination and has it affected your approach to being a business executive?

I don’t think I have suffered personally from gender discrimination, but my background is in marketing, a field in which women are well represented. I believe in listening to all employees, ensuring they know how good they are and encouraging their personal development to achieve the goals that are important to them.

What can businesses do to ensure that women progress through the ranks without disadvantage?

IT should ensure that all employees at any level, male or female, are empowered to work more flexibly and make their own decisions around work/life priorities. Any employee with potential should be given projects to give them more experience and be actively encouraged to apply for senior roles. They should also create a culture that considers parenting to be a joint responsibility.

What is the best business advice you have received?

My first female boss told me “Trust your instincts” and that advice gave me a lot of confidence. Be willing to ask for advice, but don’t be afraid to make your own decisions. Women shouldn’t be afraid to apply for jobs that would stretch and challenge them, and not just stick with the safe, incremental career options. 

Have you found being a member of a women’s business network helpful?

Yes. I attend a lot of networking events and enjoy them, but any women’s networking events I have attended generally feel different, people are less likely to put on a ‘front’ and are more willing to share their personal experiences.

How can women raise their profile in the Scottish business community, realise more of their potential and why that would benefit the economy?

Women have a tendency to just get on with things without shouting about it. Women should be more comfortable about putting themselves forward for activities that would enhance their profile and their careers. More of us need to take time out to network and to speak at events recognising that, by doing so, we will raise our own profile but also encourage others. We should also push for the things that we believe are important, even if some things might go against the corporate grain. Society has changed, the corporate world needs to catch up with that, and women should ensure that their voices are heard. The economy would benefit from that!