It was encouraging to read that Scotland has improved its performance in PwC’s Women in Work Index, as a result of advances in the country’s gender pay gap and an increased share of women in full-time employment.
Hot off the heels of International Women’s Day, (IWD), with this year’s theme being #BreakTheBias, it has been reassuring to learn that our country is heading towards a fairer workforce.
Nonetheless, I’m sure you will all agree that there is still plenty to be done when it comes creating equal opportunities for women across the board.
Despite previous gender stereotypes, one industry that has been growing in popularity for young women is the trade sector, which has seen a major shift after a survey of 1,000 adults found that the number of homeowners preferring to hire a woman has increased in recent years.
However, the findings, which were carried out by Checkatrade – a company that lists reputable tradespeople – also found that people struggle to find a female to carry out repair or maintenance jobs.
I can make a few guesses on why this is the case – failure to entice female employees?
Young women still having concerns over discrimination in the workplace?
Regardless of the reasons, more must be done to encourage females to pursue a diverse range of careers.
Most importantly, all young people should know that they can be successful in any sector that they desire, so long as they work hard and aim high.
Sadly, the pandemic also saw many women take a hit when it came to their careers.
For all the progress that has been made, evidence has also shown that women’s jobs were still hit harder than men’s jobs as a result of Covid-19.
According to data by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, (OECD) women took on more unpaid childcare responsibilities than men during the pandemic, causing higher rates of women to leave the workforce.
Then there are the organisations that are only now, in 2022, hiring ‘their first ever’ female to lead the way in business.
Take Tracey Dalling, for example, who has been appointed by the UK’s largest trade union, Unison, as its first female Scottish secretary in its almost 30-year history.
The announcement is, of course, one to be welcomed and proves we are headed in the right direction when it comes to equality in business.
However, I believe the hiring of a female leader should not be seen as something that is abnormal or new, as this only serves to emphasise the seemingly snail-paced progress of pulling female candidates through the ranks.
So many industries are still playing catch up when it comes to gender equality in the 21st century and I think it’s safe to say that, sadly, some businesses are still making it difficult for women to succeed.
The truth is that sexism still exists, despite many businesses working hard to educate their staff on equality, diversity and inclusion.
Reports still show that all too often, women are being judged for being a working mother, for leaving work early, or for taking time off when they are unwell.
In addition, on last week’s IWD, a gender pay gap ‘bot’ called out a number of organisations by announcing the percentage of gender pay gap according to median hourly pay.
Instead of supporting the data, many of the tweets were criticised, highlighting the hypocrisy of those firms that want to capitalise on the hashtag and shout about IWD on their social media, yet still attempt to conceal the issue of gender inequality.
It would be an understatement to say that it is disappointing that there are still persistent issues surrounding pay, bias and the promotion of women.
In order to see changes, we must adapt the way we see having a women become boss, CEO or director of a company. This type of recruitment should not be ‘surprising,’ ‘groundbreaking’ or ‘newsworthy’ – it should simply be the norm.
The issue of the gender pay gap is very real, and it is still just as worrying as it was two or three decades ago.
I’d implore businesses to invest in diversity so that everybody, regardless of sex, race, or religion, has chance to shine.
Corporate Responsibility Tested by Russia Sanctions
Big business loves buzzwords and catchy phrases.
At the moment ‘corporate social responsibility’ is flavour of the month.
That’s when a business offsets its overall impact socially, economically or environmentally.
However, launching initiatives to ensure positive impact in these areas can often be trickier than expected.
Businesses have to grapple with which issue to align with, how best to make real positive change, avoiding perceptions of jumping on bandwagons, or worse – being left behind.
Such dilemmas will have undoubtedly been playing out across boardrooms against the backdrop of the invasion of Ukraine, as firms weigh up what is right to do, what they want to be seen doing, and what they can afford to do.
A growing number of high-profile Scotland based firms have halted exports to Russia.
Whisky makers such as Edrington, Diageo and Chivas Brothers have confirmed they have suspended Russian sales.
Walker’s Shortbread, Caramel Log maker Tunnocks and Irn Bru producer AG Barr have also pulled the plug on business with the Russian market with Scottish ministers urging all businesses to stop trading with Russia.
Western businesses have pulled out of Russia in droves and at unprecedented speed, with social media justice being delivered just as quick to companies who appeared to be operating business as usual.
McDonald’s, Starbucks and Coca-Cola were criticised for continuing to operate in the country, with social media boycotts quickly gaining traction across Twitter.
Social media pressure saw the firms about-face, later announcing a suspension of business activity in Russia.
We may see firms, still sitting on the fence, make tough decisions sooner rather than later, or face reputational damage that will be hard to win back.
It Made Me Laugh
Thousands of Glaswegians are set to be given free cash.
The generous £110 gift card is intended for low-income households and can be used in over 200 businesses across the city that are registered with the ‘Scotland Loves Local’ scheme.
Glasgow City Council has confirmed it is planning to give out around £9 million worth of gift cards in a bid to help both low-income families and provide a much-needed economic boost to local businesses that have struggled over the last two years.
Our struggling high streets are in dire need of big ideas.
Innovative schemes like this are exactly what is needed to ensure spending stays local.
Businesses can register to accept Scotland Loves Local gift card payments at lovelocal.scot.
Let’s hope schemes like this are replicated elsewhere across Scotland.
It Made Me Weep
The sausage roll gods giveth with one hand, and taketh away with the other.
News that bakery giant Greggs is set to open 150 new branches and extend late night opening to 500 existing shops was a double-edged sword.
Pastry fans were also hit with the disappointing news that price hikes are set to come into force as the company grapples with ever increasing running costs.
The UK’s biggest bakery chain says the cost of doing business is expected to rise between 6 per cent and 7 per cent this year due to higher staffing, ingredient, and energy prices.
The high street baker already raised the price of its sausage rolls by 5p in January amid wider increases of around 10 per cent across their entire range.
