To mark International Women’s Day, Warwickshire hosted a lunchtime panel bringing together five speakers to reflect on women’s experiences in the workplace. The conversation explored themes including imposter syndrome, belonging, gender disparity, career progression, and leadership representation, alongside personal stories that highlighted both the progress made and the challenges that remain.
A key message from the panel was the importance of listening to women’s experiences and understanding what support is actually needed. Rather than replicating initiatives that already exist elsewhere, organisations should create opportunities shaped by the people they are designed to support. Asking colleagues “the What ?” was highlighted as a simple but powerful way to ensure initiatives are meaningful and inclusive.
The panel also discussed the importance of clear pathways and opportunities for women and girls, particularly in sport and leadership roles. Development programmes and grassroots initiatives play a crucial role in building the next generation of leaders and decision makers.
Speakers acknowledged that gender disparity still exists, particularly in areas such as resource allocation, representation and access to opportunities. Small but important examples, such as equipment, facilities or policies originally designed with men in mind, demonstrate why having women’s voices present in decision-making spaces is vital!
Personal experiences shared by the panel illustrated how workplace culture can vary significantly across sectors. Whilst some speakers described environments where they had consistently felt respected and supported, others reflected on earlier experiences in male-dominated industries where respect had to be earned differently. These stories highlighted the importance of teamwork, diversity of strengths, and the value of inclusive cultures.
Representation in leadership was another key theme. Recent reporting across cricket governance had shown an increase in women serving on boards, but senior leadership roles such as board chairs remain largely male-dominated, demonstrating that barriers still exist at the highest levels.
The discussion also touched on social background and representation, with speakers reflecting on how factors such as attending a state school can shape perceptions of what career paths feel achievable. Seeing people with similar backgrounds in leadership roles can play a powerful role in widening aspirations.
The session concluded on a lighter note with some fun facts about the speakers, celebrating the diverse experiences behind their professional journeys!
Thank you to all our panel speakers for their time and their stories!