It’s not the policies, it’s the culture that counts

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There’s a widespread belief that women outnumber men in market research; that we’re much more suited to understanding people; that it’s the perfect career for women. Is that true? 

I do believe there is a certain type of person – both female and male – that market research attracts. Thoughtful; articulate; maybe even a little bit introverted. Perhaps the stereotypical ‘alpha male’ workplaces aren’t found quite so often in market research – it’s not like working in the City or in law. But it’s a lot subtler, and more complicated, than that in the real world of market research. 

If we take a good look at the make-up of market research agencies, we can see some patterns emerge. We have lots of female graduates coming into the industry. We have many talented women who deliver fantastic work through to senior levels. But at the top end of the industry – and especially in the bigger agencies – men seem to take the lead again, especially in board-level positions. Why is this? 

Of course, we can argue that market research is no different from any other industry in the UK. FTSE 100 companies have faced this issue head on, and the percentage of women on their boards has doubled in the past four years… to 26%. A fantastic step forward, but still poor when we consider that women make up 47% of the workforce. 

Small and medium-size market research agencies may be the exception to this rule. If we look at some of the outstanding smaller agencies in the UK, we see women well represented as owners and directors. 

I own one of these agencies. Taking the time to talk to some of my fellow female researchers, the overwhelming response – particularly from the younger women and those without children – is that market research is actually a great industry to be part of for women. This quote was typical: 

“To be honest, I’ve never felt that my gender has got in the way of me progressing in my career – in fact, sometimes it’s been a benefit – I think sometimes women are seen as more empathetic, more suited to research somehow.” 

So there’s no problem? Well dig a bit deeper, and other women have different views. This from a researcher talking about a previous role:  

“It’s not that the agency had bad policies… it was just that the whole feel of the place wasn’t that family friendly. Because there weren’t any women with kids in more senior positions, the culture was predominantly: ‘of course we can work late’. My boss said they understood when I had to leave at 5.30pm on the dot every night… but I could just tell they thought I wasn’t really putting my heart into it. It wasn’t true.”

For me, the argument is economic – pure and simple. At a time when our industry isn’t attracting or taking on as many graduates as it used to, it’s more important than ever that we keep the talent that we have. 

What’s the point of training and developing great researchers, only to lose them in their 30s, when the reality of child rearing hits home? At this stage in their career they are just getting into their stride, building strong relationships with clients and, quite frankly, earning lots of revenue. Why would any agency want to risk losing that?

So here are some thoughts on the cultural and practical things agencies can do to encourage women in our industry – both in general and post-children: 

1. Look beyond the policies

Of course HR policies need to be ‘on point’ – and followed through. But beyond this, what’s the culture like at your agency? Does it genuinely encourage diversity? Are there examples of men and women in different roles? Do the most senior people in the company genuinely behave as if gender doesn’t matter? Do they assume that ‘women do retail research’ and ‘men do B2B’?

2. Empower and trust

Working parents have ties; it’s impossible to get past that. But, in my experience, they want to work around them. They might not be able to stay late in the office, but they can pick up that final presentation read-through after the kids have gone to bed. Trust them to make the decisions on how to get the work done – and reward people for results, not time at their desk. 

3. Use technology

Technology allows us to be flexible – and, for working parents, that’s a boon. There’s no excuse not to use technology to allow flexible working to happen. 

4 . Role models are key

Have women in senior positions and you’re likely to get more out of them. Open the door – make it seem possible. Sometimes this is just about being open-minded as to what people can become, and not pigeonholing. 

5.  Positive mentoring

Lots of women have told me how much of a difference this makes – a friendly ear, a bit of advice. Whether it’s juggling childcare with doing focus groups, or advice on how to make your voice sound authoritative in a room full of men, someone will have gone through this before. Ask your senior women to take on this role. 

For me, it’s about ensuring that every researcher – male or female – reaches their potential. We need to challenge ourselves to make sure that happens; it’s beneficial – not just to them, but to our industry as well. 

Anna Cliffe is joint managing director at Trinity McQueen.