Influence of women organisations on the professional career of female workers. Great Britain case

Abstract

The article deals with the very topical issue of the situation of professional women in the business environment. It has been only a century since females openly entered the male world of business and from the beginning they had to learn how to compete and fight for themselves in a male-dominated arena. Professional women have become more and more visible, especially in the last twenty years, with the number of them in high positions slowly increasing. The slow speed of this increase ultimately lead the to introduction of equal rights legislation for both sexes in the workplace. However, legislation on its own will not help women achieve equality. To be successful in their professional lives they need to benchmark with their successful male counterparts. One of the most common tools used by men is networking. It gives them priceless contacts, guarantees exchange of information and opens doors to prospective deals that would remain closed to 'outsiders'. If men can be successful, then why not women? They can, and that is why over the last 15-20 years we have been watching the growing number of female professional networks. They have been increasing across all professions and fields. On the other hand, let’s not forget that what suits many does not suit everybody and there are high profile women who do not identify themselves with networks. They do not feel a need to have membership of 'clubs' and one should respect it.