Some say a woman needs a man like a fish needs a bicycle. Whether you believe this or not, there’s no denying that the male-dominated UK economy needs women like women need chocolate, pay rises and pain-free pregnancy

As if we didn’t know it already, women are a vital force in society and, increasingly, the economy. The figures speak for themselves. Women love to work and the world of work needs women.

• Female employment in the UK is at record levels. As of January 2003, 67 percent of British women are in employment and this trend is set to continue.
• Within the next ten years 80% of the two million new jobs created in the UK will be taken up by women.
• Across the EU, in just one sector, IT, there is a 600,000 shortfall of skilled workers.

The current climate of low unemployment, widespread skills shortages and the rocketing numbers of economically active women have started to bring the needs of working women, business and government together.

Brain not brawn
The growth of the knowledge economy has emphasised the need to nurture the skills areas in which women excel. The ability to build teams, manage projects, multi-task and communicate clearly and effectively are highly valued by employers. Women have the advantage here and need to build on it.

Skills and focused training are essential if women are going to increase their opportunities in this fast-changing economy. Women as a group are increasingly skilled and are gaining more and higher qualifications than ever before.

• Between 1984 and 2000 the percentage of women with no qualifications fell from 46% to 20%.
• In 2002, over 56 percent of women were awarded with over five GCSEs (grades A-C), compared to only 45 percent of men

Women are also gaining access to additional learning through a variety of means. Lifelong learning for all, at your own pace, is a government vision made real by the University for Industry and the learndirect service. Learndirect offers thousands of courses to people of all backgrounds, up and down the country. Dr Anne Wright, Chief Executive of the University for Industry, outlined the provision of e-learning initiatives making it possible for women to learn what they choose, online and in their own homes.

Training can also be accessed in any of 900 centres located in shopping malls such as Bluewater and Gateshead as well as libraries and other public buildings. Pilot schemes where large organisations like Sainsbury’s and the NHS provide employees with access to Learndirect in-house are also underway. It is clear that the responsibility for training is one held jointly by individuals, employers and government. Everyone needs to get involved.

The education and training of young females is also a priority. Women are under-represented in all ICT (information and computer technology) sectors. Only 26% of full-time workers in this sector are female. There is a clear need to encourage younger women into areas involving science, technology and engineering. This can be tackled at a young age by the early adoption of science subjects in schools, breaking down gender-based stereotypes and using the media to push the message home to girls, their families, teachers, employers and government.

The future is flexible
The business case for implementing and supporting the work-life balance is undeniable. Successful schemes provide flexible working, above-average maternity and parental packages and an awareness of care-giving responsibilities and interests outside work. They increase productivity, reduce absenteeism and create a more loyal and motivated workforce. Here is a clear message: no company, no matter how small, can afford to ignore these developments if it wants to attract and retain quality staff.

Lack of flexible working arrangements plays a major role in influencing mothers’ decisions to stay at home after having children. But this isn’t just an issue for women with children or, indeed, just women. For many workers, quality of life is fast being equated with the philosophy of balance between work and life. And getting the balance right is widely regarded as both cost-effective in the long run and socially beneficial. Employers simply have to rise to the occasion, because if they don’t it’ll hit them where it hurts. The cost of replacing one member of staff can run to 50% of the employee’s annual salary.

To encourage greater flexibility, employers were urged to view the work-life balance not as a woman’s issue, but as a mainstream issue. Using men, especially senior male managers, as guinea pigs would, many believed, do much to reduce the stigma attached to flexibility and demonstrate how effective and easy it can be in practice. The government was also urged to lead by example and be more visible about embracing work-life measures. If our next prime minister hears the patter of tiny feet, nothing short of a very public take-up of paternity leave will do.

The re-evaluation and recognition of the value of part-time work and other forms of flexible working is an important cultural shift that also needs to be addressed. The vast majority of part-time workers are women. But in the workplace, part-time/flexible workers are often considered less committed and effective than their full-time colleagues. Although dispelled by several surveys highlighting the benefits of flexibility through increased productivity, better morale and reduced absenteeism, this perception still impacts negatively on pay and promotion for flexible workers.

There needs to be a shift away from the long hours culture, presenteeism and the obsession that many employers have of needing to see ‘bums on seats’. More focus should be given to ‘outcomes’ not ‘inputs’ so that a worker’s productivity and results are evaluated and rewarded by fair, objective standards.

Retaining and encouraging talent
Creating an environment where women and men want to work involves many elements. Sheila McCaffrey, Director of Kite, a technology company based in a remote part of Northern Ireland, has demonstrated the benefits her organisation enjoys by integrating the provision of childcare into the very heart of its business.

Kite has given over 45% of its office space to childcare and has a daycare licence that enables them to provide subsidised care for children aged 6 weeks to 16 years. Her overwhelmingly female employees remain with the company for about six years. By comparison, her competitors retain staff for only 11 to 12 months. Her business has grown at a fast rate, and her steady, happy employees have, she believes, given her a competitive advantage. Other potential solutions to address the problem were considered, including: childcare vouchers, affordable government-funded childcare and tax relief for employers and employees.

Further changes to the workplace culture pinpointed the role and competence of managers. Bosses are always going to take some flack, but there were heartfelt calls for them to adopt greater understanding of employee workloads and improved knowledge of how to manage them, using technology in an appropriate and effective way. Listening to employees and fostering a two-way flow of ideas between staff and management were considered vital, as was an increase in the amount of women managers, role models and mentoring programmes in the workplace.

Government surveys suggest that younger women believe they are disadvantaged in terms of pay and promotion. They’re not wrong. In 2002, women working full-time earn 18.8 percent less than full-time male employees and the number of female executives, although much increased, is still only 22%. The call for equal pay legislation ‘with teeth’ was echoed by many at the event.

Self-development and training initiatives is a crucial factor affecting staff retention. And the encouragement of entrepreneurial skills within companies is an important method of building self-confidence and developing crucial, transferable business skills.

Women on top
The government is keen to encourage women workers not just as employees but also as entrepreneurs. Women are already very active in the business community: a third of businesses with a turnover of up to £1 million are owned by women. And in the UK, 35% of new businesses are started by women, compared to 50% in the US. The government is looking to increase this figure by identifying the barriers to women entrepreneurs and providing specific information and support for their needs.

So, once again, women are in the spotlight. It’s clear that there is a desire and need on all sides for women’s potential in the economy to be harnessed, nurtured, developed and released. The challenge is to just get down to it and make it happen. Shouldn’t be a problem then – if women lead the way.