Equality - Broking gender gap closing - slowly

There are not many female insurance broker managers. However, mentalities have changed in the last five to 10 years and several female insurance broker managers are making a name for themselves as some of the best in the business. In November 2008, Amanda Blanc - chief executive at Towergate's UK broking division - collected Jaguar's 2008 Woman of Achievement accolade at a ceremony celebrating female success in the City of London. This was the first time that an insurance broker manager has taken this prestigious award.

On the up

There are more women entering all areas of insurance. RSA, Norwich Union, Brit and Hiscox are just several of the insurers that have at least one female board member. Ann Wilson, branch manager at Aon in Leicester, believes that we will begin to see many more female insurance broker managers in the future. She said: "There used to be a strong tradition of middle-aged men in senior positions that were not necessarily the type to welcome young women into their business on an equal footing. Senior managers are now younger and more open-minded. The profession appreciates what women can bring to the workplace."

For some, the table has turned and being a woman can now be an advantage. Rob Ward, managing director at Sennet Professional Indemnity, noted: "Women are often more accurate and diligent and, with the need for greater compliance, so female managers often bring a different skill set that is useful in today's world. "

The few women that are in these positions have the opportunity to stand out. Liz Foster, managing director of Ingham Hawkins and Nock, has used this to her advantage to raise the profile of her broker business. Foster explained: "Being in the minority means that, when networking, a female is unlikely to be forgotten and might present more opportunities to express opinion on behalf of that group."

Difficulty

While the profession is becoming more open to female managers, clients in some sectors can have a different view. This can make relations with clients in male-dominated sectors more of a challenge for female broker managers. Howard Marshall, director at Marshall Wooldridge, told PB: "Sadly, certain trades demand a male contact, some Asian businesses would possibly be insulted if asked to deal with a female at director level. We always pick a person on ability not gender but, for women to be an outside contact with clients, they have to be able to stand some abuse."

Peter Moody, managing director at Coleman Insurance, stressed that very few clients would discriminate against female broker managers today. He said: "Some clients prefer a female broker manager to a male. I do not think there are any disadvantages."

Up until as recently as 34 years ago when The Sex Discrimination Act was passed in the UK, women's roles in society were often seen as a homemaker for whom children are the first priority. This has changed dramatically: many men are now primary caregivers for children, enabling women to return to work soon after giving birth.

Concession

When she first joined Towergate, Blanc returned to work soon after giving birth. She noted: "Women have to take time off and make compromises in their career that men do not. I was lucky enough to have a supportive husband and family that made it easier for me to return to work so quickly; not all women are so lucky."

Although women's roles in society have changed, childcare can still be problematic when choosing a career path. Foster noted that consolidation could have made broker management a less attractive career for some family-centric women: "Independent brokers tend to have static boards, making it difficult for aspiring directors to take their places; all this has been exacerbated by consolidation. In the consolidated broker organisations, the need for mobility may make more senior roles difficult for females with families."

Charlotte Prow, managing director at the Wilson Organisation (see Broking Success, March 2008, pp.20-21), said that, by adopting more flexible working hours, the broking sector could attract more women into senior management positions. She said: "We would undoubtedly see more women at all levels and this will ultimately lead the numbers of women in the boardroom to increase."

Reputation

While insurance has seen a demographic shift in its workforce, it has not moved as quickly as other industries. Prow believes that this is because women have been lured away from insurance by the appeal of professions such as law or accountancy, both of which have a more forward-thinking image. Wilson agrees and said that, despite insurance being a people industry, "women are not always as good at putting themselves forward and making their name known. We need to learn to talk ourselves up more and have our presence felt."

Blanc believes that senior managers can help the next generation of female brokers break into management roles: "We are dependent on people already in these positions to support women in their companies that are performing outstandingly and help them receive the recognition they deserve."

Pay differences

Wages continue to be a controversial issue. While Amanda Blanc asserted that there is now little wage discrimination between male and female broker managers, Aon's Ann Wilson disagreed. Wilson said: "It is wrong but there are still very real pay differences between men and women in the broking sector. However, a lot of these hurdles have been overcome and in many companies managers are paid solely on ability and experience."