Stepping stones are key to advancement in the workplace, say PricewaterhouseCoopers female leaders

Despite great progress having been made over the last few decades and more women directors, partners and senior managers than ever before, we still have some way to go. The falloff between women entering the workplace and ultimately reaching senior positions remains a challenge and is evident in all industries, including the professions.

Female leaders at global accounting and auditing firm, PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), have identified what they term as "stepping stone" opportunities as the most common critical element in helping them advance in a male-dominated workplace. These have been major developmental milestones in their careers, such as finding a mentor who took a personal ongoing interest in career advancement and provided the right growth opportunities at the right time.

A recent internal PwC study titled “The Leaking Pipeline: Where are our Female Leaders?” canvassed the opinions of 79 female leaders within PwC's global network, including South Africa. It aims to identify why women leave before reaching partnership level and sheds light on the obstacles they face as they rise within the ranks of professional services firms.

Other key “stepping stone” experiences identified by the PwC women were working with prestigious clients early in their careers , moving to a different office within their home country, or to a PwC firm abroad, or taking a role in human capital or training management.

The women also cited the importance of networks and a flexible workplace as career-enhancers. Structured leadership training and executive coaching as well as transparency and succession planning processes also contributed to their progress.

Many of the respondents noted that it is important for everyone in the firm to become more culturally aware and understand existing gender-based dynamics and biases. They believe it is essential to cultivate a corporate culture surrounding women in the workplace which should include a flexible working environment, increased focus on feedback and the alignment of business strategies with employees’ personal values.

Creating a supportive environment, in which women share experiences and practice skills either through group or individual mentoring, coaching or networking is also a vital component of gender diversity, to which PwC aspires.