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Internal politics are biggest workplace struggle say study respondents

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office-politics

Earlier this month, Roar Training asked nearly 400 people to reflect on their biggest workplace struggles of 2019. What came out of this exercise was the realisation that huge numbers of people are genuinely unhappy at work, for reasons that are easily managed.

  • Scenarios that require collaboration and navigating interpersonal relationships are some of our biggest struggles
  • Over half (54%) struggle with feeling bored, unfulfilled or demotivated
  • For some work is somewhere they “dread going to”, with “toxic bosses”, “sexist cultures” and “political sociopaths”

Relationships with bosses also scored highly, though relationships with co-workers less so. Considerations around productivity, such as managing workload and handling emails, are less challenging.

What do employees want?

Roar Training also asked people ‘If you felt completely professionally fulfilled, what would be different?’ to gauge the changes that participants wanted to see within their professional lives.

More autonomy

Professional autonomy and the ability manage one’s own workload was a common theme, with respondents stating:

“I’d have total autonomy over how I worked my day/hours.”, “I’d like more autonomy and opportunity to manage my own work.” and “A manager that trusted my decisions and my ability to do the right thing, without always needing to check on me. I know what I am doing, I would like to be able to just get on.”
“I would be happier if I was able to use my initiative more and work independently.”

Less stress

The majority of what would make respondents feel professionally fulfilled were emotional, rather than financial. (Only 8% of respondents mentioned money or salary specifically) and feeling less stressed and worried was a huge part of that.

“I’d be in a better place mentally and emotionally and it would help me in all other aspects of my life. I’d truly be working to live, not living to work which is how it feels at the moment.”

“I wouldn’t be dreading coming into work. I wouldn’t be stressed the second I open my emails. “

“I wouldn’t feel so stressed and I’d be able to focus on the parts of my job that add real value”

Focus and clarity

For many participants, a desire for professional clairty and focus was a recurring theme. Interestingly there was a correlation between this sentiment and wanting to feel valued and supported, suggesting a lack of direction or objectives, making employees feel lost and consequently uncertain of whether they were doing the right thing.

“Sit down and create more plans, structure is key!”
Clarity on what I do and my role within the business, especially how it can develop.
“A clearer understanding of what my job is and what exactly is expected of me”
“Have the time to focus on projects that will really move the needle and make a difference without distractions.”
“I’d feel motivated and have clarity in what I actually do.”

Feeling heard

The ability to feel as though you are being heard, believed and listened to is significant in developing professional fulfillment. Interestingly, this notion featured heavily in our research on creating gender parity in the workplace. Without feeling heard, people can feel ignored, undervalued and underappreciated.

“Bosses need to believe me”
“Understanding of how to be heard when you know you’ve got a company changing idea, a good one”
“I would be able to bring forward issues and solutions”
“Have the confidence to suggest changes or discuss them without fear of being fobbed off or ignored.”

Flexible working

Unsurprisingly, a desire to work remotely or flexibly features regularly in professional fulfillment.

“Flexible working would be key. I work full time and I have a small child. I wish my employer would recognise that sometimes doing the standard 9-5 isn’t possible, but it doesn’t mean that I can’t still achieve as much working around that.”

“I recently took on a remote role that offers flexible working in a department I love.
Previous to this I worked in an office in a role I wasn’t at all passionate about.
I can already feel the difference in both my professional and working life.”

“Freedom with working hours (not feeling like I have to stay until 5, even though I’ve tied my tasks up by 4.30 for example).”

What are your thoughts and main workplace challenges? Perhaps these are familiar, maybe yours are different.

Feeling Phoney? An introduction to dealing with the impostor phenomenon.

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Evening Workshop

Date: 27 June 2017
Time: 6.00 – 8.30pm
Venue: Wallacespace St Pancras
22 Dukes Road
London WC1H 9PN
Cost: £39
Transport: Euston Station

There are few experiences more draining than feeling like a phoney.

The notion of being less competent than you should be or believing your success to be a bit of a mistake can be stressful.

The sense that at some point you’re going to be found out as an impostor can be crippling to achievement and may cause anxiety and overwork.

The voice in your head that says:

  • I’m really not good enough to be doing this job.
  • When are they going to find out I’m not as competent as they think I am?
  • How did I get here? I’m really not qualified.

It’s called the impostor phenomenon and it’s believed that around 70 per cent of people will experience impostor feelings at some point in their lives.

But it doesn’t have to be this way.

Join two inspirational speakers, Dr Terri Simpkin and Kate Atkin, as they introduce the impostor phenomenon, exploring where it comes from and how it can be dealt with.

Begin to realise how you can boost resilience and start to celebrate your achievements.

Perfect for women who want to realise their full leadership potential.

Cost

Full price £39
Earlybird £34 (to 6 June)

BOOK NOW

 

 

The pinched-middle dropping out of management consultancy

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Women in Consulting, the Pinched Middle

 

It’s a well known fact that management consulting firms struggle qit retaining women and promoting them to the highest ranks. Diversity at the top remains elusive, with the vast majority of firms only managing a small proportion female partners at best.

A common dropout point is when women reach manager and senior manager grade – in their late 20s and early 30s – the “pinched middle”.  Just as they’re expected to be at full-throttle with their career, they are becoming busier at home too.  Many reflect on the kind of life they want, the trade-offs they’re willing to make and what it takes to be successful in consulting.  Unfortunately, for consulting firms, many women (too many) decide it’s either not doable or not worth it, so they leave the industry altogether.

Much has been written about the problems women face, both within firms and in society at large. The reality is that consulting firms are not going to change societal norms – from why so few men take paternity leave, to why caring and looking after the home is seen as women’s work – all by themselves. But there are things firms could do to make the lot of women in consulting easier.

This recently published report by Source Global Research and Unida (diversity consultants) proposes a 10-point framework for change.

Ten Point Framework

Download the Report.

Visit our searchable Knowledge Bank for further reports on diversity, leadership and related topics.

 

You can’t be what you can’t see – or can you?

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As a sound-bite this phrase certainly has impact and is often used to explain why women are not succeeding as well as they might in the workplace, the inference being that there are insufficient women in leadership positions who other females wish to emulate.

What are women’s expectations of role models, do all women want and/or need role models and should role models and mentors be “what others can see”?

Expectations of role models

Research undertaken by Dr Ruth Sealy on the impact of role models in female progression suggested that women tend to seek out role models who “tick all the boxes” and women often say that there aren’t “suitable” female role models within their organisations.

Men, on the other hand, put together a “composite” role model that encapsulates the best characteristics, behaviours, traits of a variety of people. They try to be the best by adopting and emulating the best regardless of whether s/he looks like them or not.

Do all women want/need role models?

Yes and no. There is a wide body of research which indicates that women need role models in order to succeed, yet I once heard Janet Street Porter speak at a female entrepreneurs’ network and when asked “Who are your role models?” she replied, quick as a flash, “Why would I want a role model? Why would I want to be like anyone else? I want to stand out from the crowd. I want to do things differently,” she continued to cheering and clapping from the group.

You could argue that she was the ideal “poster girl” for these female entrepreneurs. They wanted to do it their way. She was, therefore, their perfect role model – someone who was prepared to be different.

Do role models need to “be what you can see”?

Condoleeza Rice, the former US Secretary of State has said:

Search for those you can look up to and people who take an interest in your career.

But here’s an important warning: you don’t have to have mentors who look like you.

Had I been waiting for a black, female Soviet specialist mentor, I would still be waiting. Most of my mentors have been old white men, because they were the ones who dominated my field.

Maybe it’s time to think less about seeking one person, and more about seeking out a range of people whose qualities, values and behaviours you admire because sometimes you have to be what you can’t see.

The Women in FinTech Powerlist

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The women in the FinTech Powerlist, compiled with the support of Hogan Lovells and was compiled by asking women in the sector to nominate themselves and to encourage peers – both men and women – to put forward candidates they felt were worthy of recognition.

The response was staggering.  The Influencer List includes nearly 200 talented women. They possess different skills and different backgrounds yet collectively they are driving FinTech forward and shaping a better financial services future for everyone.

The list is intended be inclusive and to encourage the FinTech community to step back and think about the contribution that women make.

As well as the Powerlist, the report also contains sections on:

  • Diversity Champions
  • Trailblazing Women

Download the Report

Visit our searchable Knowledge Bank for reports on Gender Diversity, Leadership and related subjects.