Sisterhood in the workplace – fact or fiction?

Whilst looking through the various links to articles I see on Twitter & Facebook I stumbled across this article in the Huffington Post http://huff.to/wroIRg 'Female Bosses, reluctant to hire women with children' & as soon as I saw the title I knew I had to read it!

Once I had finished it, I had to pick my jaw off the ground from reading the shocking statistic that ¼ of all female bosses would reluctantly employ a woman who has children or is of child bearing age! Not exactly fighting the sisterhood corner is it? Emmeline Pankhurst and the suffragettes are probably turning in their graves!

But why is this, why are we not working to help each other?

Ok, we know that the work place as much as we hate to say it, is still a very much male dominated environment and women have to work twice as hard if not harder to get to the top, that in itself is a whole other topic! But, if women bosses are not going to support other women to get the top then what hope do we have?

This isn’t about a choice of family over career but working together to enable women to be able to be both. I am business woman and a mum, both very different ‘hats’ but I have the support of a great husband and family to enable me to do it, but I know that is not the case for everyone.

I suppose it goes back to our previous blog post about Childcare, if we had a much more flexible approach and a better maternity & paternity system, maybe this wouldn’t be happening? I know many mums that have successfully gone back to their jobs after having their children but I know many that have struggled to get the right work and or childcare solutions and therefore their careers have taken a back seat – is that fair? Intelligent, resourceful & articulate women that could offer so much to so many businesses are having to either not work or take jobs that they are way over qualified or experienced for.

This is not also, the 'cake & eat it' scenario – yes, women can work & be a mum at the same time; they just need the right support. And, no, I am not bashing stay at home mums either, I think that whatever a women chooses to do, is right for them and their family and we should all support each other without peering down our noses at what others choose.

I know it is not an easy job market out there at the moment and the employers have their pick of candidates, but surely if we want to show the young business women of the future that you can get to the top, we have to show some united ‘sisterhood’ solidarity?! We have some great role models of women at the top like Karen Brady, Michelle Mone, Jacqueline & Vanessa Gold & many more are now reaching the boardroom, so come on girls let’s show the men how it is really done ;o)