Gender diversity in finance

Today, 8^th March, marks International Women’s Day. There is no better time to consider the issue of gender diversity in the finance sector and, in particular, the bridging loans market.

Much will be written on this subject today but at MFS we want to move beyond the theoretical. Instead, we are going to look at practical ways of ensuring more women can work and excel within the bridging loans industry.

But first, what are our credentials?

MFS champions gender diversity

Gender diversity, particularly in finance, is not a PR exercise. It is not something we only shout about once year.

We are not perfect, but we are not complacent and we do feel well qualified to discuss the matter.

After all, it is estimated that at present 32% of senior management positions across the financial services sector are held by women. At MFS, the figure is almost twice as high. A healthy majority (62%) of our management team are women.

Source: Women in Finance Charter

On top of that, we sponsor Bridging Loan Directory’s Women in Finance feature, as well as Financial Reporter’s Women’s Recognition Awards. We are also running a female-inspired event with the Asian Jewish Business Network.

Why embrace cultural & gender diversity in finance?

There are many reasons why this issue requires attention. Fundamentally, it is every employer’s role to ensure equal opportunities for new and existing staff, regardless of their gender or background.

Studies show that there are many reasons for embracing diversity. From staff retention and employee satisfaction through to productivity and profitability. We focus on what will make us a better business. How can we be the best bridging loan provider we can be? How can we make sure MFS is a great place to work?

Having a balanced representation between men and women across our teams, and particularly in senior positions, is key in tackling both of those questions. For one, diversity helps us solve problems – different people who think and act differently help us look at challenges from many angles. That way, we can find the best possible solution. This is central to what we do. As a bridging lender that often takes on complex cases, it’s important that we think out of the box.

How to implement gender diversity in finance?

The all-important question is how can we make progress? Here are some of our key pieces of advice:

1. Female role models

It’s vital that women in any organisation can see female representation within senior management positions, ideally right to the top. Employers that want to create a more diverse team must ensure this translates into their policies when hiring and promoting at all levels.

2. A positive culture

Language in the workplace is extremely important. Clumsy, provocative or harmful language can quickly alienate people from different backgrounds. So employers must not tolerate any such incidents. To create more balanced teams of men and women, business in the finance industry must carefully consider what their culture is like and whether it is supportive, friendly and welcoming to all.

3. Flexibility

Having some flexibility in how, where and when people work can also prove valuable. For example, parents may need to work slightly different hours to account for their child(ren) being in nursery or school. Allowing for this will ensure mothers – and fathers – do not have to choose between the professional and personal lives.

4. Recruitment processes

Lots can be done in the hiring process alone, from anonymous CVs to diverse interviewing panels and setting up multiple interview stages with different types of tasks. These are all ways are preventing recruitment efforts from becoming skewed towards – or away from – a particular demographic.

At MFS, we are proud of our diverse team. Women hold positions across all departments, and there is no question that it makes us a better business and a superior bridging loan provider.

International Women’s Day is a great opportunity to celebrate that fact. But, as ever, it is a timely reminder that much more needs to be done to champion gender diversity in finance.