Corporate America and Women’s Business Networks
Not all women’s networks are independent, or are designed to have open membership to all business women. Many major corporations, including General Electric and Best Buy, are now encouraging and even facilitating the establishment of internal networks for working women.
Deloitte, a national leader in financial and accounting services, is perhaps the most successful model of corporate-based women’s networks.
What Makes Deloitte a Great Place for Women to Work?
Voted #76 in the Forbes’, “100 Best Companies to Work For 2007,” Deloitte’s diversity record is impressive: in 2007, 46% of all employees were women, and 30% of all staff were minorities. The majority of positions at Deloitte are administrative assistants (who are mostly women), earning an average salary of $51,666 annually. Not bad. But Deloitte goes beyond being an employee-friendly company; it has gone to great lengths to be women-friendly, too.
While other companies retain the infamous glass ceiling and “old boys’ network,” Deloitte values its women employees. In 2007, 19.3% of its partners were women putting Deloitte squarely in the number one slot for women’s advancement among the top four accounting firms in the United States.
Part of Deloitte’s revolutionary pro-women philosophy can be attributed to the Retention and Advancement of Women (WIN) program started in 1993 when only about 12% of partners were women. WIN programs are unique because they address women’s issues as well as those affecting male employees.
Bridging the Gender Gap Through Women’s Programs Helping Men
For example, while WIN was still young in 1995, male employees felt that WIN programs had no positive affect for them, so Cathy Benko, the national managing director in charge of WIN, came up with a new program, “Women as Buyers.” The program addressed the concerns of men to help them win more female clients.
According to Business Week, the program is geared towards helping men win more clients “while improving understanding between men and women at the firm. Noticing a dearth of research on how executive women make decisions, the WIN team sponsored a year-long study on the topic. It has been presenting its findings in four-hour workshops made up of two-thirds men and one-third women.”
90% of all men who take the WIN workshops give high marks to the program. WIN creates a win-win situation because it promotes equality by addressing problems and creating solutions that help all, regardless of gender.
Sources:
Business Week. “What Works In Women's Networks.” June 18, 2007.
Fortune. 110 Best Companies to Work For 2007.” January 22, 2007.
