Interesting article in the NY Times

Why Do So Few Women Reach the Top of Big Law Firms?
"Deloitte & Touche, the accounting giant, is among the more innovative firms in that regard. It has promoted and retained women by offering flexible working schedules, leadership development and career planning programs, and transparent and dedicated mentoring — all buttressed by strong internal support and an emphasis on the bottom-line merits of its policies. Deloitte also maintains generous sabbatical policies and outreach practices so that women who depart the firm to raise children have an easier time re-entering the work force — and rejoining Deloitte — when they are ready to do so."
Could an agency adopt a program like this?

Comments

[Claire Whigham]

One of the major targets in our country is mothers, and I would argue that most advertising meant to hit them, misses by a mile. But who's to say that a father, or a child of a single mom, couldn't find a way to speak effectively to mothers? All in all, agencies should seek out a diverse group of people who can create the best work, not focus on filling quotas of different "types" of people.

On the subject of flexible work schedules, the goal should be to keep employees happy. Unhappy employees don't usually stay long. If a father wants to take a pay cut to be allowed to stay home one more day a week, that should be considered by his agency as a way to keep him at the agency. The same consideration should be given for a mother. Ultimately, it should be considered a privilege for people that an agency finds valuable, not be a blanket policy for any and all to take advantage of.

[gold1show]

Funny how people who aren't even in the workforce seem to know so much about it.
A lot of mid to large agenices especially those belonging to holding companies already have the same or very close to the same policies employed by Deloitte and Touche discussed in the article.
Might help to do your homework next time before you start speaking.

[K Meloche]

The flexible schedules and re-entry programs are great, but its the leadership developent, career planning programs, and dedicated mentoring which i find the most interesting. Which agencies have those sorts of programs? As students just starting a career, we'd like to find agencies that will help as do better work.