Flexibility key for women in workplace

FLEXIBILITY is the key to keeping women in the workforce.

And Guernsey needs to work smarter at providing a better working world for women, according to Samantha Keen, liquidations and restructuring partner at EY.

Mrs Keen was the guest speaker at the latest meeting of the Women's Development Forum. She said that flexibility was the key to unlocking the huge work potential of women in Guernsey.

'Whether you are a parent or non-parent, Generation Y or Generation Z, there are times in all our lives when we need our employers to show greater flexibility,' she said.

'At EY we are striving to offer a flexible working environment to all of our people with a real emphasis on establishing a work-life balance that suits each individual while also enabling them to deliver a high client service.'

Mrs Keen's firm has committed to enhancing the role of women in the workplace and the community as part of its rebrand to EY, which includes the tagline Building a Better Working World.

'Speaking to some of the audience here today, it is clear that there are many women in Guernsey with a vast amount of experience to bring to the table, but who are held back by traditional work practices. If we want to retain and nurture the best people, employers must adapt in order to be able to offer more flexible forms of working.'