Five steps towards a diverse consulting industry

As it can already be more challenging for women to achieve success in the consultancy world, they need to work together and support each other. Having access to experienced female mentors, for example, through schemes such as the Santander Women Business Leaders’ Mentoring Programme, is also vital.

Speaking out about experiences of gender bias and similar challenges promotes solidarity and enables women to receive advice from those who have been in their shoes. This would have been hugely valuable to me at the start of my career, when I often felt overlooked when in the company of my male co-founder (through no fault of his own!).

Building confidence is crucial to overcoming ‘imposter syndrome’, a common problem experienced by women in business. To do this, they need to focus on pushing themselves out of their comfort zone, while learning to trust their professional voice and talent.

Flexible working has already had a positive impact on people’s work-life balance but it’s important to keep building on these changes for the benefit of women’s careers. It’s now easier for women and men to manage family responsibilities alongside work commitments and through a focus on outputs rather than hours at our laptops, we can all get more out of our day and a healthier work-life balance.

Breaking taboos around challenges posed by medical issues, such as the menopause, is vital to break biases in business. In order to build a strong culture of empathy and solidarity, we need to educate all areas of the industry about the challenges involved in health-related issues.

To help accelerate the progression of rising female consulting stars, we need to encourage close collaboration, while focusing on women’s capabilities and experience. By encouraging them to discuss their experiences, promoting the importance of mentoring and leveraging the benefits of flexible working, we can achieve a more diverse and rewarding consulting industry for everyone.