Partner Article

"Women need work, work needs women"

Equalisation of the UK labour force between men and women could generate gains of 10% of GDP by 2030.

A report published by the Women’s Business Council, which was established last year, said “while women need work, work also needs women” and has shown how women’s contribution to growth can be significantly expanded upon.

The report said 2.4m women in the UK are not in work but want to work, while 1.3m want to increase their hours, and a re-balancing of this mismatch could provide GDP per capita growth of 0.5% a year.

Recommendations were made to broaden girls’ aspirations and career choices by implementing better links between schools, career development professionals, parents and businesses, as well as encouraging girls into STEM subjects.

The Council also said businesses need to take on flexible working and offer support to working parents, as women in the “middle phase” of their working lives often have to choose between promotion opportunities and raising children.

Further recommendations were made to tap into the unmined potential of women in the “third phase” of their careers, when they are are facing challenges of keeping their skills up to date and looking after children, grandchildren or aging parents.

The Government was urged to bring in an ambassador for this group to promote the benefits of recruiting employees who are in the third stage of their career.

Statistics showed that if women were setting up businesses at the same rate as men, we could have 1m more female entrepreneurs in the UK, however women are currently half as likely to follow this path as their male counterparts.

The Council said the British Chamber of Commerce should work with women’s business networks, schools and members organisations like Everywoman to raise awareness around entreprise as a career.

Furthermore, recommendations were made to the Government to extend its message on enterprise and to recognise the differences between male and female entrepreneurs, while ensuring marketing around support services is inclusive of both groups.

The report said: “We are at a turning point in women’s economic development: the current economic situation is difficult for us all, but also provides an opportunity for gaining overdue recognition of the vital contribution of women to our country’s national prosperity.

“Taken together, these actions represent a road map for clear and achievable gains. Many of them build on current initiatives, or align existing activities.

“We have been aware throughout of the need to avoid excessive burden on either business or Government – indeed we do not believe that it is necessary for action to be burdensome to be effective.”

A task force has been set out by Maria Miller MP, Work and Equalities Minister, who said it is unacceptable that women continue to “languish” behind men in spite of their obvious skills, talent and achievements.

She urged businesses and the Government to rid women of the barriers they face and allow them to fulfil their potential, adding that it isn’t about political correctness, but a sound economic case for supporting women to reach their optimum potential.

The report concluded: “The time to act is now. The recovery from the financial crisis and recession in 2008–09 has been slow and faltering, and businesses across the country (as well as Government departments) are doing all they can to get the economy moving.

“The UK will not be able to meet its potential unless we use the talents, skills and experience of all.”

Nicola Wright, director, PwC Newcastle, said: “The report is right to highlight the importance of targeting women at all stages of their careers and even before they enter the workplace.

“It is vital that young women and girls are encouraged to have career aspirations and reach their full potential and are not discouraged by the current gender inequalities and unconscious biases which still exist in many workplaces and industries.

“Young women want and need visible aspirational role models at all levels and businesses should be accountable for providing these.

“Businesses need to free themselves from the traditional nine to five mentality, which could be forcing many women into part-time roles.”

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