• 160,730 companies were created in the UK by women in 2023.
  • 1 in 5 UK companies are led by women.
  • 3 in 4 female business owners anticipate revenue growth in 2024.

In celebration of International Women’s Day, we will be giving a fascinating glimpse into a female led UK business, our own! Bain and Gray was founded in 2009 by two female founders, Emily Bain and Claire Gray who have had extraordinary careers and a long-term passion for recruitment. Today Bain and Gray is a powerhouse that strives to empower its female workforce, ensuring each individual who invests their talent and time in the business has a chance to make a positive impact on the administrative support community. To add to this – as of November 2023, we have successfully transitioned to an Employee Ownership Trust (EOT), providing a company structure that benefits all employees.

Empowering Women

In last year's IWD blog, Claire had shared her thoughts on research done by Lean In, a program that helps companies create inclusive workplace cultures and connect women with mentorship. Being aware of the ongoing gender gap which has been problematic for the female workforce has always inspired Bain and Gray to cultivate a team-driven office culture where employees have the freedom to work in their own way.

Click here to see what employees have had to say about working for Bain and Gray: www.bainandgray.com/work-for-us.

We provide multiple benefits to further support our female workforce. Below are a just a few examples:

  • Maternity leave: Women coming back into the office after having children have to meet huge childcare costs to allow them to return to work. We offer flexible working to reduce the financial burden of childcare. You can read about Camilla’s experience here.
  • Flexible Working: With hybrid working becoming a luxury in 2024, we have retained our belief in providing employees with the opportunity to retain a healthier work-life balance.
  • Health & Wellbeing: We highly encourage healthy living and maintaining optimum mental health. We provide an allowance to help cover the costs of a wide range of health and wellness products and services.

Equity Diversity Inclusion and Belonging (EDIB)

EDIB is a key pillar for our overall strategy and something we work hard to ensure is commonplace in how we engage internally and externally. Be sure to read one of our most popular blogs by Claire, The Benefits of a Diverse Workforce.

Ways in which we implement EDIB:

  • We keep ourselves up-to-date through ongoing EDIB training.
  • We work in close partnership with one of recruitment’s leading EDIB trainer.
  • We conduct ‘Round Tables’ on EDIB with our clients, assisting them on challenges within their work environment and offering solutions to their HR processes.
  • We have partnered with the international charity, Astriid. The charity’s primary goal is to help those with long-term health conditions find work. This forms part of the conversation on diversity and inclusion as it champions a pool of talent that is so often overlooked.

Links

Had the chance to subscribe to our Links newsletter? Be quick as our March newsletter is due to hit inboxes in the coming days! Based on a survey we conducted with our extended network of PAs, EAs and Admin Professionals across London, nearly 48% admit that they feel lonely at work from time-to-time, whilst 8% admitted they feel lonely quite often. To read further about the beginning of our journey, click here.

These stats are certainly more unsettling when most of the administrative support community remain women and many find themselves being the only women in the office. For many months we have seen our executive support platform bloom with insights, podcasts, a 'little black book' of the country's best businesses and an 'agony aunt' feature to address sensitive topics that an assistant might be reluctant to. We are exceptionally excited to add more events to our 2024 calendar and a mentorship program to help our candidates grow to their full potential.

Summary

  • In the UK, women have founded over 160,000 companies in 2023, with 1 in 5 companies being led by women, and 3 in 4 female business owners expecting revenue growth in 2024.
  • Bain and Gray, founded in 2009 by Emily Bain and Claire Gray, is a female led business that prioritises empowering its female workforce and creating an inclusive workplace culture.
  • The company offers various benefits to support its female employees, including flexible working arrangements, maternity leave support, and health & wellbeing allowances.
  • EDIB (Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging) is a core focus for Bain and Gray, with ongoing training, partnerships with experts, and initiatives such as round tables and charity partnerships.
  • Through their Links newsletter and initiatives like podcasts and mentorship programs, Bain and Gray aims to address loneliness and support the professional growth of administrative support professionals, primarily women.