The Impact of Women CEOs in Organisations

Read the episode round-up hereIn this enlightening episode of the Jobs for Women podcast, Zoe Haydn Jones hosts Seema Shah, a principal consultant at Great Place to Work. The conversation delves deep into the mission and vision of creating workplaces that are not only efficient but also inclusive and supportive of all employees, regardless of their gender, age, or ethnicity.Seema elaborates on the core mission of Great Place to Work, emphasising that their goal is to make every workplace a great place for everyone. She mentions, “Our mission really at Great Place to Work is to help every workplace become a great place to work for all, where everyone, no matter who they are, has that consistent and positive employee experience.” This sentiment aligns perfectly with the annual women’s workplace list they publish, which champions inclusivity and diversity.The conversation also touches upon the importance of role models in the workplace. Zoe shares her experiences, stating, “When we talked about that role model piece, if there’s no woman at the top, how do you see yourself getting there?” Seema resonates with this sentiment, highlighting the palpable difference in workplace culture when there’s a female CEO or more women in senior roles.Another pivotal theme discussed is the role of managers in fostering an inclusive environment. Seema emphasises the importance of training managers in inclusive management practices. She states, “It’s about creating a culture of relationship… It’s about really bringing men into that conversation, how can they actively promote gender equality as well and support.” Zoe echoes this sentiment, emphasizing the significance of allyship and the need to call out inappropriate behaviors.Towards the end of the podcast, Seema shares insights from her personal journey, discussing her previous leadership roles, her decision to take a career break, and her current role at “Great Place to Work.” She mentions, “Joining Great Place to Work last year has really changed me as a person.”Seema Shah: “My last job we did have a senior CEO and you could totally tell the sort of the difference of culture that was set and it’s amazing. And I think what we see through, lots of our clients, that we work with a lot of those who have, either women CEOs or more women on that top table essentially. And you do see a different tone and obviously, there’s so much research out there as well in terms from us of Financial and performance perspective, that, organisations with more women in leadership roles tend to do better.”Join the Jobs for Women free wellbeing and careers membership HEREPost a job with Jobs for Women and connect with our talent pool of women who are in permanent development within our free membership with support from other women, networking and free masterclasses with experts. CLICK HERE.