XXX FIRM Business Case CommunicationRetaining & Developing Women LeadersImproving Gender Diversity

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Current State of Affairs – 2010 Women in Corporate America and Public Accounting

Women comprise more than 50 % of the US Labor Force

Women hold 32% of first level manager roles in industry, 50% in public accounting

Women hold 35% of mid management positions in industry, 35% in public accounting

Women hold 12% of CEO/senior executive Roles

Women hold 19% of the total partner positions in CPA firms

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Percentage of Women by Level at CPA Firms - AICPA Data

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Business Drivers - Profession

Accounting graduates have been at least 50% female for 25 years

Baby boomer outflow

Changes also reflected in our marketplace

Talent acquisition/retention and succession planning are the top two concerns of firms all sizes

Competitors for talent may be ahead of us in the race

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Business Drivers - XXX Firm

Quantitative

Link to firm strategy

Changes also reflected in our marketplace

Competitors for talent may be ahead of us in the race

Talent acquisition, succession planning concerns

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Business Drivers - XXX Firm

Quantitative

• Retention statistics

• Advancement statistics

• Cost of turnover

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Percentage of Women by Level - XXX Firm

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Cost of Turnover

Standard industry measures• 1.5x annual salary• Includes loss of productivity, hiring cost, training cost

Conservative four years totals

$x Million

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Business Drivers - XXX Firm

Link to Firm Strategy

• Risk to growth strategies- Growth target xx% unachievable without advancement of women- XXX Niche will not progress without movement forward of female leaders- Geographic expansion, acquisition goals can be impacted by lack of leaders and/or lack of gender

diversity in leadership

• Talent attraction and development- Candidates are looking for progressive firms- Female candidates will be significant percentage of total and will look for firms where women are succeeding

• Profitability- Turnover of key experienced staff impacts efficiency, effectiveness of engagements- Loss of female staff with specific technical skills to support niche area growth- Lack of progression of female staff can impact growth geographically or niche areas

• Innovation- Lack of diversity of thought in approaching new markets, ie; female owned businesses- Lack of diversity of thought in new products or solutions to take to market

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Business Drivers - XXX Firm

Changes also reflected in our marketplace

• Client decision makers, owners

• Demographics of essential networks

• New networks

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Business Drivers - XXX Firm

Succession planning concerns

• Competitors for talent may be ahead of us in the race

• Talent attraction and retention

• Talent development and advancement

• Exit strategies

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Business Case Conclusions

Sustainable growth models

Sustainable succession planning models

Viable exit strategies

Bottom line impact of talent shortages

Increased need for diverse talent that:

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What are the Barriers to the Advancement of Female Leaders?

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The Barriers to Retention and Development of Female Leaders:

Career Sponsorship & Navigation

Access to Female Role Models

Work/Life Integration

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Career Sponsorship & Navigation

Unequal access to career development and advocacy experiences

Stereotyping, unconscious bias

Traveling without a road map

Self Selection (Opting Out)

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Limited Access to Female Role Models

Stunts the growth of aspirations

Maintains stereotyping

Lack of diversity in role models

Lack of access limits ripple effect of successes

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Career/Life Integration

Rigid career models

Lack of customization

Demands of the profession

Societal norms (systemic unconscious bias)

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XXX Initiative Next Steps

Initiative structure

Communication plan

Firm leadership awareness and education

Sponsor program

Determine opportunities to improve flexibility culture and career customization programs

Networks and skill building for women leaders

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Initiative Structure

Clear leadership involvement

Accountability

Governance mechanism necessary

Execution ownership by business

HR key player

Communication function-active and consistent

Metrics

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Initiative Structure-Sample

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Initiative Structure - Roles

Steering Committee• Facilitate vision, strategy setting• Monitor execution of strategy, results & ROI• Communicate with firm leadership

Line of Business Reps• Strategy execution• Ongoing tie of initiative strategy to business strategy

Sponsors• Use of political capital• Increase access to stretch appropriate opportunities • Proactive management of barriers

Network ( Strategic Roll Out-Aligned with Business Case

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Communication Plan

Targeted audiences for communication

Targeted messages to specific audiences• Communication of business case • Structure • Strategies and action plans• Early successes• Results

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Firm Leadership Awareness

Awareness, buy-in, and commitment of Firm leaders is essential and foundational for success

Comprehensive understanding of the business case and the link to Firm strategy is the foundation of the necessary awareness raising effort

Essential educational efforts regarding unintended bias and unintended consequences

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Career Sponsorship

Targeted focus on a specific group of leaders

Sponsors assigned• Ensure key success factors are in place• Access to strategic opportunities and stretch assignments • Assignments align with targeted career goals

Opportunity for interaction with female role models

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Targeted Coaching and Career Sponsors

High influence - high impact career advocate

Regular connection points

Long term career focus, specific staged goals

How short term goals connect to long term focus

Customized personal and professional planning

Organizational guide - how to increase value proposition?

Accountability

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Targeted Coaching and Sponsorship

Career Reflection & Action PlanningIn depth aspirations reflection

Analysis of barriers, real vs. perceived

Short and long term focus

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Flexible Culture Assessment

Identify career path inflexibility • Supported by policies, norms may camouflage unintended bias

Clarification of flexibility philosophy in the organization• Two way commitment and two way flexibility regarding issues of

unbounded time• This is not just about part time work arrangements• Impacts men and women but must be improved to improve

gender diversity

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Skill Building and Networking Opportunities

Strategic focus on education and awareness gaps, not a social network

Awareness raising regarding Firm norms, socialization factors affecting them inside the culture, bias, etc.

Exposure to diverse examples of success

Forums and other events to gather visible female roles models and examples of success within the organization, profession, and the market

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Networking & Leadership Development

Access to visible female role models

Peer learning

Visible success stories

Understand how to increase value proposition

Awareness raising regarding Firm norms, socialization factors affecting them inside the culture, bias, etc.

Hope, energy, organizational credibility

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OrganizationsBusiness case Governance structureCommunication strategyBaseline surveyDiagnostics & prioritization of strategies to address barriers

IndividualsTraining for women leadersNetwork for women leaders• Only after business case,

buy in and diagnostics are complete

Career advocacy pilot

Action Plan – Phase One Example

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OrganizationsBusiness case communication continuedGovernance structure evaluated and adjusted as appropriateContinued prioritization of strategies to address barriersInstitutionalize education, awareness, accountability strategiesSurvey II & comparison to baseline survey

IndividualsOngoing training for women leadersNetwork for women leaders expanded and taken from pilot phaseCareer sponsor program designed from pilot learning

Action Plan – Phase Two Example

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