Article by Faye Liddle-Moore, Member and Mentor at Bloom & Head of Brand Studio at Outbrain
I have recently been invited to join Bloom, an organisation that champions women’s voices in the advertising and marketing industry, educating businesses on equal opportunities, unconscious bias and allyship, as well as providing women in all stages of their careers and lives with guidance and support in a transparent and inclusive way. I hope to use their platform and my own experiences to further understand and help progress equality for women in the workplace going forward. Just like any other industry, there still exists ingrained bias, stereotypes, and pre-conceived gender dynamics within the corporate space that have long needed addressing.
When faced with any challenge, the first step to a resolution comes from first identifying just what the current barriers are for women and understanding why these obstacles exist in the first place. At that point, we can then provide a list of creative solutions. It’s all about being transparent, open, and honest about the current challenges women are facing, regardless of how difficult they may be.
The statistics for course enrolment by gender detail a stubborn and unchanging landscape. 2021 enrolment figures for UK universities highlight a stark difference between male and female course enrollments.
At the moment, women tend to gravitate towards language, art, or service-based courses. On the other hand, men look to ‘skilled’ courses that usually lead to more economically fruitful careers like Maths, Computer Science, and Engineering. In engineering alone, there were over 95,000 more male applicants than females.
At a surface level, this dynamic could be explained simply as separate genders naturally gravitating toward certain subjects and sequential careers. However, this fails to take into account the lack of opportunities, ingrained stereotypes, and minimal female role models that can make particular industries more male-exclusive than others.
Pursuing a career in language, art, or service-based courses, they are still facing an uphill battle against their male counterparts. Creative arts disciplines pertain partly to media and advertising, within this, female university applicants in 2021 outweighed male applicants by over 69%. Despite this, in 2019 29% of staff in advertising are women, and only 12% make it to senior creative director positions.
Regardless of industry, women experience a harder time getting to the C-suite. According to research from Fortune in 2020, women account for 7% of all CEOs that make up the Fortune 500 companies. What’s more, a study in the Oregon State University’s Journal of Management revealed that implicit bias can result in female candidates being overlooked in favour of male candidates during job rounds for executive positions.
These statistics evidence two key points that restrain gender equality within the workplace. Firstly, career success is falsely attributed to natural career preferences. Even if we agree with this, we still see gender bias toward women that have supposedly travelled the path of least resistance. Second, women in all industries struggle to reach the C-suite, limiting opportunities to influence young females and company structures.
What message do we send to women if less than 10% make it to the top of global corporations? The women in these positions can talk about gender dynamics to try and change their company structures to offer women equal opportunities to rise up the ranks, but if male leaders stay quiet the status quo will likely remain.
To help bolster the voices of female leaders, who inspire career-driven females, their work must be celebrated by their male counterparts. Too many male-led companies, in and outside of the Fortune 500, do not express their desire to open the narrative for gender equality. Female CEO numbers will not suddenly increase to the point of an equal share of voice, so it is partially up to the majority – male leaders – to help amplify the minority and join the conversation constructively. It’s not just equal opportunities for women that requires allyship, there are issues to address the moment we begin our careers: be it the expectancy of motherhood and maternity leave or the fact women still face an average of 22.7% pay gap.
In their The Great Return report, Bloom recently conducted a study of 200+ women in communications roles.
Findings revealed that 58% of respondents were worried about telling their employer about upcoming maternity leave. Of the women that had taken maternity leave, less than 50% said they had been issued appropriate support and guidance, influencing the increase in worry to 73% for women announcing leave for their second child. In an environment where women are already disproportionately challenged and stereotyped, these figures indicate failings within many organisations to provide proper care to the evolving lives of women.
Naturally, this has a direct impact on readiness to return to work, with nearly half of the mothers profiled finding their back to work experience more negative than they thought it would be. Companies need to change top-down to accept these natural events in women’s lives, and allies must speak up to support women if they feel appropriate pre and post maternity leave support is not being provided.
To showcase the opportunities that can be afforded to women, they must be able to access the opinions, careers, and experiences of trailblazing women that have come before them. More needs to be done at an educational level to support this, but it is also up to the media to champion more female voices and shed light on gender inequality as it occurs.
Additionally, businesses must take the initiative and offer their resources and guidance to provide women with experiences that work to negate the stereotypes and expectations put upon them. This can come through experience days, speaking events, or in-house podcasts, blogs, or learning materials – most brands can do more to inspire females in school through to those who have already started their careers. Not only will this provide education to the career possibilities available to women, but it will also boost the content that exists around the subject and drive more conversations that help change the current landscape.
Within this, businesses must grant women the opportunity to be successful in C-suite positions, where they can nurture female talent top-down. This is not happening on an equal scale in the current status quo.
Lastly, focusing on the voices and experiences of women should not be limited to one day. International Women’s Day provides a fantastic opportunity to celebrate female individuals, groups, and successes, but it is at risk of being siloed as a singular day of recognition rather than a continual effort to improve gender equality in the workplace. This phenomenon was highlighted by the gender pay gap bot, which called out companies whose gender pay gaps did not conform to their celebratory sentiments around International Women’s Day.
We must observe this specific day as a time for retrospect, to track the progress occurring within our industry and treat every day as an opportunity to support female talent, amplify female voices, and level the playing field regardless of gender. Both men and women need to fully understand the dynamics occurring within the workplace, and it is important for women to consider joining organisations like Bloom where the unity of our voices provide a platform to speak openly about gender equality in and beyond the workplace.
May
15may16:0016:45Empowering Pupil Wellbeing | Free Primary Stars Webinar & Resources
15/05/2025 16:00 - 16:45(GMT+00:00)
Join us on Thursday 15 May 2025 for a free, live webinar designed to help teachers confidently support pupil self-esteem, emotional wellbeing, and mental resilience. Hosted
Hosted during Mental Health Awareness Week, this session features expert insights from the Mental Health Foundation, Dr Claire-Marie Roberts (Performance Director at Coventry City FC and Chartered Psychologist) and Ruth Elborn (Education Mental Health Practitioner and former teacher).
You’ll discover:
16mayAll DayEmpower Female Founders Conference
16/05/2025 All Day(GMT+01:00)
Kraken Technology Centre
Pariser Building, 168AA, Sackville St, Manchester M1 7JR, M1 7JR
Empower Female Founders is a unique event designed by female founders for female founders,
Equipping them with the tools needed to overcome challenges and achieve success in their entrepreneurial journeys.By providing a supportive community and sharing experiences, Empower Female Founders aims to empower women to redefine their potential, amplify their impact, and thrive in their sector.
In May 2025 we will welcome 100 female founders to this one of a kind event in Manchester.
Empower Female Founders is far from your traditional conference set up. We’ve spoken to our community of Female Founders and we know what’s needed is practical action, answers to the important questions and to gain knowledge from those who have been there and done it.
The day will be built around fast-paced workshop sessions and collaboration providing the opportunity not just to learn but to connect with female founders sharing the same journey.
Our focus is on building confidence, developing a growth mindset, and providing a supportive community that empowers women to overcome challenges and achieve success.
The day will be built around panels featuring Female Founders sharing what’ it’s really like to be a Female Founder, an opportunity to ask fellow Female Founders for their advice as industry experts, celebrating and reframing the narrative around success and ambition.
There will also be an Action learning workshop on Growth Mindset led by Empower Co Founder Beckie Taylor and a fast-paced knowledge share sessions providing the opportunity not just to learn but to connect with female founders sharing the same journey.
09:00 Registration and Networking
09:30 Welcome from Beckie Taylor, Co-Founder, Empower
09:45 Panel : What it’s REALLY like to be a Female Founder
10:30 Action Learning – Female Founder Mindset
11:30 Coffee and Networking
11:45 Panel : Ask The Experts
12:30 Morning Close
12:30 Lunch & Networking
13:30 Welcome Back, Beckie Taylor, Co-Founder, Empower
13:35 Knowledge Share Session
15:15 Coffee and Networking
15:30 Panel – Celebrating Success and Ambition
16:15 Thanks and closing remarks
16:30 Cocktails and Mocktails
18:30 Close
19may18:0020:30The Future of Fairness in Leadership and Business | WBS
19/05/2025 18:00 - 20:30(GMT+01:00)
WBS at the Shard
London, SE1 9SG
This is your chance to engage in powerful dialogue and spark meaningful change in your professional sphere. After the panel discussion, network with peers from across industries
After the panel discussion, network with peers from across industries over drinks and canapés, against the vibrant backdrop of London.
This event is held annually in collaboration with our partners We are the City, Women Engineering Society, Forte, City Women Network and 30% Chair; We are delighted to welcome a distinguished line-up of keynote speakers:
Dr Dawn Eubanks – Associate Professor of Behavioural Science & EI and Panel Chair
Rukasana Bhaijee – Global Head of DEI at the Financial Times. A DEI leader with over 13 years of experience across media, technology, professional services, and higher education. Formerly led DEI for Google’s EMEA tech division and consulted at EY, Rukasana brings deep expertise in strategy, race equity, and inclusive culture change.
Geraldine Gallacher – CEO of the Executive Coaching Consultancy, author of Coaching Women: Changing the System, Not the Person, and City Women Network Board member.
Mark Swain – WBS Client Director & Executive Coach, and Fellow of The Learning and Performance Institute. With over 20 years experience in leadership development Mark has developed a framework supporting Women in Strategy.
Ben Evans – New Business Director, AtkinsRéalis, ED&I Advocate and Warwick MBA Alumnus (2013)
Together, they’ll share their invaluable insights, strategies, and real-world experiences in fostering fairness and driving success in today’s dynamic and changing corporate landscape.
Key Topics Include:
Whether you’re a mid-career professional, an established leader, or an entrepreneur passionate about shaping the future of fairness, this event will leave you inspired and equipped to make a lasting impact.
Free
21may12:0013:00Master the Art of Incredible Interviews | WeAreTheCity & City CV
21/05/2025 12:00 - 13:00(GMT+01:00)
WeAreTheCity & City CV are thrilled to present a
Do interviews leave you feeling uneasy, underprepared or unsure of how to showcase your best self? Are you stuck in a loop of missed opportunities, wondering how to stand out and seal the deal? You’re not the only one. On average, people apply for 27 roles before they land just one interview.
But don’t worry – you’re in the right place. Whether it’s been years since your last interview, you’re chasing a promotion or new role, or simply trying to stay sharp, this free one-hour masterclass will give you the edge to win your next role. Your interview isn’t just a conversation – it’s a marketing pitch where you’re the product. Discover how to demonstrate your value, convince employers you’re the best investment they can make, and leave them thinking, “We’d be foolish not to hire you.”
In this jam-packed session, Victoria McLean, Founder & CEO of City CV, guides you through the art of wowing interviewers. With a proven track record of helping people at all career levels secure their dream roles, Victoria brings decades of expertise, countless success stories and award-winning career strategies to the table.
What you’ll learn:
Looking for more career support? Explore our Career Resources page. Ready to take the next step? Browse the latest opportunities on our Job Board and find your perfect role today!
23may10:0012:00Online* Pelvic Floor Recovery Workshop FREE | Karen Ellis - Postnatal Recovery Expert
23/05/2025 10:00 - 12:00(GMT+01:00)
With former Midwife, Karen Ellis. *Available on replay. Exactly how to rebuild strength in your pelvic floor after pregnancy. All the information you should have got from
All the information you should have got from your midwife about how to recover your pelvic floor PROPERLY after having a baby and how to exercise SAFELY so you can smile with excitement and enjoy the moment when your toddler takes your hand and pulls you towards the bouncy castle instead of the feeling of dread taking over as you decline their invitation.
You are a mum who;
And so you can have dry knickers!
Free