The Role of Women in Today ’ s Profession

1. The Role of Women in Today’s Profession

2. Disclaimer….. There Are Some Statistical Differences Between Women and Men However…. “No Statistic is 100%!”

4. Objectives • The Set Up • Research • Communication • What They Want • Obstacles • Retention Ideas

5. THE SET UP

6. What Did (or would) Your Firm Look Like 20 (or more) Years Ago? • Staff? • Managers? • Partners? • Benefits? • Clients?

7. Remember When… • The Old Dress Code! • Clients did not want to work with Female Accountants • Partners were not allowed to “mix” during company business development activities – Golf… Men’s Clubs etc… • Pregnancy was a disease!

8. What Does Your Firm Look Like Today? • Staff? • Managers? • Partners? • Benefits? • Clients? TODAY!

9. Welcome to the new world…. • Direct Supervisors have a HUGE effect on career • More Women at higher levels • Flexible schedules are more accepted • Greater knowledge of communication differences • More men mentoring women • Women are accepted by clients

10. RESEARCH

11. Statistics: • Women are 61.8% of all accountants and auditors • In 2009 women were 55% of newly hired accounting graduates and 41% of all CPA’s • Women are 23% of all partners at firms, although they are 49% of all employees at accounting firms.

12. Statistics: • A 2008 Study – Women Partners of the Big Four • 18.6% at KPMG • 18.1% at Deloitte • 17.0% at Ernst & Young • 16.9% at PricewaterhouseCoopers

13. Statistics: • Overall number of women at the firm… • 51.5% at PricewaterhouseCoopers • 49.1 at Ernst & Young • 47.8 at KPMG • 45.1% at Deloitte

14. Statistics: • 41% of women senior managers aspire to become partners; • 65% of men senior managers aspire to become partners; • 25% of women staff desire to become partners; • 62% of men at staff level desire to become partners; • 20-39% of women accountants are unsure about their desired career achievement; • 12-22% of men are unsure about their desired career achievement

15. Statistics: • Of firms that offer alternative partnerships, • 36% of all women partners have used alterative partnerships;10 • 17% of men partners have used alternative partnerships

16. Statistics: • 47% of women in Accounting are satisfied with their careers • 19% believe they are equally compensated for their work as compared with their male counterparts.

17. How is Your Firm Stacking UP?

18. POLLING QUESTION #1% of Women in your firm todayAll levels: • 0 - 25 % • 26 - 50% • 51 -75% • 76 - 100%

19. POLLING QUESTION #2% of Women in your firm todayStaff Level: • 0 - 25 % • 26 - 50% • 51 -75% • 76 - 100%

20. POLLING QUESTION #3% of Women in your firm todayManager Level: • 0 - 25 % • 26 - 50% • 51 -75% • 76 - 100%

21. POLLING QUESTION #4% of Women in your firm todayPartner Level: • 0 - 25 % • 26 - 50% • 51 -75% • 76 - 100%

22. COMMUNICATION

23. Communication • Body Language • Facial Expressions • Speech Patterns • Behavior

28. QUIZ TIME….

29. Men Talk More Than Women? • Men Are More Likely To Interrupt Women Than Other Men? • There are approximately ten times as many sexual terms for men as for women in the English language • During conversations, women spend more time gazing at their partner. • True • True • False • True

30. Nonverbal messages carry more weight than verbal messages. • Female managers communicate with more emotional openness and drama than male managers. • Men not only control the content of conversations, they also work harder in keeping conversations going. • True • True • False

31. When people hear generic words such as “mankind” and “he”, they respond inclusively, indicating that the terms apply to both sexes. • Women are more likely to touch others than men are. • In classroom communication, male students receive more reprimands and criticism than female students. • False • False • True

32. Women are more likely than men to disclose information on intimate, personal concerns. • Female speakers are more animated in their conversational style. • Women use less personal space than men. • True • True • True

33. . When a male speaks, he is listened to more carefully than a female speaker, even when she makes the identical presentation. • In general, women speak in a more tentative style than do men. • Women are more likely to answer questions that aren’t addressed to them. • True • True • False

34. There is widespread sex segregation in schools, and it hinders effective classroom communication. • Female managers are seen by both male and female subordinates as better communicators than male managers. • True • True

35. In classroom communications, teachers are more likely to give verbal praise to females than to male students. • In general, men smile more often than women. • False • False

36. Did you see any biasesyou have?

37. WHAT THEY WANT

44. OBSTACLES

45. Obstacles for Women…. • Women are not confident in their abilities • Women feel guilt when they speak up! • Women don’t have great “assertiveness” skills • Women understand the rules – and they don’t like them • Women have a tough time setting realistic expectations for work and home • Women have a tough time finding role models and mentors • Women have a tough time developing a supportive network

46. POLLING QUESTION #5Have you developed any specific policies based on women’s needs in your firm? • Yes • No

47. RETENTION IDEAS

48. Strategies • Flexible Work Arrangements • Mentoring • Career Development Programs • Part time Partners • Networking opportunities • Leadership and Management Development Programs • Project Teams vs primary client contact

49. Strategies • “Off Ramp” Considerations and Strategies • “On Ramp” Considerations and Strategies • Create work life strategies and policies • Make the technology investment • Encourage the support networks • Create choices in career direction

50. KPMG – KNOWKPMG Network of Women • Began 4 years ago. • Classes and retreats to teach the skills needed to move up to the Partner level. • Work and family balance has to be “sold” and developed • On line blog for sharing with other women in the firm