Glass Ceilings.
In Malta the ever present sunshine makes having a glass ceiling an uncomfortable choice! In business the barrier to women getting into senior positions is also an uncomfortable choice!
Traditionally older board members in companies have stayed in position for decades, citing experience, organisational commitment and loyalty as the primary reason. And women with the traditional child bearing career disruption family expectations have been locked out of challenging this.
Looking Back.
There has been progress. But it’s been slow especially in a country such as Malta with a very traditional culture at its heart. Indeed the barriers to everything from opening a bank account, to buying a property to getting a divorce hark back to a past when the man was head of the house and the business.
But H.R. is now facing the perfect storm of post pandemic staff shortages at the precise moment skilled staff are desperately needed to rebuild companies that that have to hit the ground running.
Looking Forward.
Zoom and Team replaced face to face, online is king and older business plans look hopelessly out of touch. Never has the workplace been more fertile ground for the role of a woman to grow. Smashing that glass ceiling will be senior managements challenge as under utilised staff, who happen to be women, force traditional male dominated companies to change.
Looking Up.
How can you position yourself to make that leap from down on the dance floor onto the balcony? Skills are key of course. To meet a companies ambitions ability is important, but underpin that with a suite of skills and you will be an irresistible force. Training needs analysis within the workplace identifies gaps in workforce skills and budgets will target that. But traditionally training is a big time commitment from the employer and the employee.
Blends.
But the pandemic has gifted a lot to this area as online or blended training has made flexibility the watchword. From home. On line.
Now is the time to demand access to these resources from companies that are looking to give you the tools to smash the glass ceiling once and for all. Today talent is harder to come by, today you can use that shortage, tomorrow you will look back and know this is a tipping point!
Ken Usman-Smith
