The Key to Advancing Women in the Workplace

How can organizations be more creative and intentional as they establish programs and systems for developing the talent of all their employees? Following the 4th International Simmons Leadership Conference in Dublin, Ireland in November 2019, we surveyed conference attendees to gain a better understanding of how women in leadership positions view their current jobs, their career prospects, barriers to advancement, and the tools they need to succeed.

What women say works – and also what they want more of – includes methods that not only benefit the individual employees but also maximize an organization’s ability to access the broadest possible pool of talent to build their leadership structure. The methods for developing this broader pool of talent include:

• Launching mentoring and sponsorship programs with input from women seeking leadership roles
• Investing in advanced skills and leadership training
• Embedding a culture of flexibility, including around work schedules
• Taking into account family responsibilities, and as appropriate, allowing employees the ability to work remotely
• Willingness to take into account employees’ family commitments

For more information, download the full report.