Kate and 3 key challenges women face in the workplace

KnowThyBrand - Championing gender inclusion in business

In this episode, we talk with Kate Webber, lead product manager at Northern Trust and the founder of the award-winning network WiAS (Women in Asset Servicing).
As Kate started progressing in her career she noticed that the number of women in the higher ranks of organisations was significantly dropping. Finding herself increasingly as the only woman in the room, Kate decided that something had to be done to support women.
Her research on why women don't climb the corporate ladder as easily as men led her to identify 3 main challenges:
1) Lack of confidence: women are less likely than men to put their hand up and challenge themselves with new opportunities
2) Too strict self-judgment: women tend not to apply for promotions or jobs unless they have 100% of the skills and experience required, while men apply for the same opportunities even if they have much less experience than required.
3) Lack of networking: women find themselves isolated in a working world that is male-dominated.
Setting out to make a difference, Kate created the WiAS network, where women can support each other and grow.
In this episode, Kate offers a unique insight into these three challenges and what we can do to address them. We also tackle the critical role of men in achieving gender equality, the positive changes that have happened in the gender inclusion sphere, and the critical difference between role models and supermodels.
Kate's favourite brand is Lego, for its ability to constantly evolve and stay relevant.