International Women's Day has been celebrated worldwide for over a century to recognise women's social, economic, cultural, and political achievements. This year, our Employment Law team at Miller Samuel Hill Brown organised a panel discussion event to celebrate the day and inspire inclusion in the workplace.
Our Chairman, Marie Macdonald, led the event which featured a panel of experts from the legal, business, and public sectors. The panellists shared their experiences, insights, and inspiration to encourage and inspire everyone to work towards achieving gender equality in the workplace, emphasising the importance of these efforts.
Panellists’ Experiences, Insights, and Inspiration
- Rona Dougall broadcaster, freelance journalist, and TV presenter for STV's flagship current affairs program, 'Scotland Tonight': STV Expert Voices initiative
“STV launched an initiative called Expert Voices to promote diversity on screen. Participants attend a media workshop, which helps them develop the skills they need to appear on television. We noticed that when we invited women to participate in our programme, they often became shy about it or felt that they couldn’t do it, experiencing imposter syndrome. The initiative has led to a higher number of female contributors and diversity on the show, making the program more diverse and interesting. Scottish Television's efforts to create positive change have been significant, and they have come a long way since the program began.”
"I have decided to share my knowledge, experience, and story with others. In the past, I was hesitant to do so, believing that I needed to conform, to fit in. However, I have realised that I no longer need to do that. Instead, I am determined to learn from the journeys, experiences, and knowledge of others, whilst also sharing my own. By doing so, my aim is to promotes equality. To achieve this, we first need to make improvements in areas where inequality exists. We need to better understand and accept that not everyone has the same starting point. Hence why storytelling is so important, to level the playing field by ensuring that everyone has the necessary resources to be fully included.”
- Sarra Bejaoui, founder and Chief Experience Officer of SmartPA: SmartPA's focus on diversity and inclusion
“At SmartPA, we are committed to empowering women and young people, and fostering a culture of diversity and inclusion. Our mission is to create role models that inspire future generations, and unleash the full potential of our team members. With our headquarters in Edinburgh, and a talent pool spanning South Africa, Uganda, Europe, and the US, we are proud to be a global organisation with a diverse team and culture. We strive to attract the best talent and support them in their roles, providing a safe and inclusive environment for our neuro-diverse workforce. Our model is designed to help women returners back into the workforce, with training and accreditation programs tailored to their needs. We believe that by promoting diversity and inclusivity, we can create a better future for everyone.”
“There are numerous opportunities for upward progression and diversity in the Fire Service, including fire safety, fire prevention, and working in the control rooms as well as upward progression to the top of the organisation. Interestingly, most of the people working in the control rooms are women this could be due to shift patterns and the type of work which they do which is much different to the front line.
Some of our facilities are very basic as many of our fire stations are decades old and do not have separate toilets and showering facilities. We are looking at how we resolve this challenge with our asset management plan and have opportunities with new builds and refurbishments. For instance, in Inverness, we renovated one of the buildings, and it now houses 12 women because the facilities provide everyone at that station with dignified arrangements for changing and decontamination purposes. We are trying to think outside the box and be creative in addressing this issue as we develop our strategic plans for use and replacement of our assets.
Interestingly, for International Women's Day, we took eight girls from Portree High School in Skye and put them through a week-long fire skills course. The benefits of learning life-saving skills were evident, and two of them even want to sign up to be firefighters when they turn 18. We intend to take this program across the country to encourage more girls to join our fire service.”
Challenges and Solutions: Marie Macdonald, Chairman and Head of Employment Law
We have made significant progress in addressing taboo topics like periods, menopause, and childbirth that were once difficult to talk about. However, structural changes are still needed, which can be achieved through legislation to expedite the process. There are real challenges in terms of meeting expectations and roles, which can be addressed by making organisations more flexible with their working arrangements.
The COVID-19 pandemic has played a significant role in changing mindsets toward flexibility in the workplace, showing that it is possible to work remotely and still maintain productivity. However, non-negotiable needs must be recognised for all employees so as long as their productivity and performance remain high.
Recruitment is also crucial to achieving a flexible and productive workplace. Hiring passionate individuals who are committed to the company's vision and values can help build trust within the organisation.
In the Next Decade…
It's important that individuals have the freedom to choose their own path without facing any limitations. We should respect every individual's uniqueness and their personal circumstances. Women should not feel discouraged from joining an organisation due to external factors. Instead, they should have the liberty to choose not to join based on their own preferences. We need to focus on creating an inclusive environment that accommodates everyone irrespective of their gender, age, or background. We need to provide equal opportunities for everyone, keeping in mind the importance of individuality.
We can achieve everything we aspire to, but it's essential to make steady progress towards our goals. We should make significant strides toward achieving our objectives while respecting individual choices and circumstances. It's worth noting that things that were once deemed unattainable in the past have now become commonplace. Therefore, it's essential to keep moving forward and continue the dialogue for change. Our focus should be on promoting individual choice and opportunity and creating a structural change that benefits everyone.
Conclusion
International Women's Day is an opportunity to celebrate women's achievements and highlight the importance of diversity and inclusion in the workplace. The panel discussion event inspired and encouraged attendees and panellists to continue to drive efforts towards promoting diversity and inclusion in the workplace to foster an environment of equality and growth.
If you have been inspired by this article and are interested in adapting your workplace, our experienced Employment Law specialists, lead by Marie, are available to listen to your concerns and offer tailored solutions that can make a real difference. We are committed to working closely with you to understand your unique situation and offer tailored solutions. We invite you to reach out to us today on 0141 221 1919 We are here to help you every step of the way.
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