09 Mar The Representation Game
Women’s History Month might be over, but Methods+Mastery celebrates strong, smart women year round.
At Methods+Mastery, over half of our team is comprised of women. This isn’t out of the ordinary given that PR is generally seen as a female-dominated profession. However, I was pleasantly surprised to learn that 58% of our junior staff are female and 60% of our leadership positions are held by women.
Underrepresentation of women in the workplace is still a major challenge. Since 2015, an annual study of corporate America found that there has been almost no progress made in improving representation. Less than half of the entry-level workforce is female, which drops to 38% at manager level and 29% at VP level. Even in the PR industry where 70% of the workforce is female, only 30% of the top positions are held by women.
As a woman on the M+M team, I appreciate that we stress the importance of acknowledging the struggles women have faced and are still facing in the workplace, even when female representation at Methods+Mastery is well above industry standards. During our inaugural Women’s History Month panel, one panelist shared that for years and to this day, she is often the token woman in a meeting room. Another mentioned that it is still a challenge for women to break through when there is an established group of male leaders in the workplace.
Why is female representation so important to me and the team?
- The positive, lasting effect female mentors have on careers.
- The camaraderie between all the smart women and men on the team.
- The growth of the company as women bring in new perspectives and innovative ideas.
- The increased employee engagement and retention that results from the presence of women.
- The creation of a desirable workplace as people want to invest in companies that champion diversity
- The overall support and encouragement the women on our team have for not only each other, but everyone across offices.
I am proud that Methods+Mastery celebrates all the women on our team and takes pride in having a majority of female leaders. I am grateful to be in a workplace that not only supports, but champions the progress of women. I hope that in the near future female representation statistics will no longer be relevant and equal representation will be the norm, and I am glad to be a part of a company that is leading by example.