As Solomon Page honors Women's History Month this March, we recognize and celebrate the achievements and contributions of female professionals. While acknowledging the successes, this month also serves as a reminder that diversity and inclusion are crucial for innovation and growth. Recognizing this occasion, we are highlighting a few of our women leaders across Solomon Page by asking them to share their experiences and insights.
In what ways do you think an inclusive environment boosts both women in sales and the entire organization?
Lynda Fraser, Senior Vice President, Human Resources: A supportive and inclusive environment benefits everyone – regardless of gender, level, and functional area. I believe that the difference between being or doing good and being or doing great is discretionary effort. That discretionary effort has several contributing factors – a supportive and inclusive environment being one of the key, critical factors. Fundamental to any effort of course is the individual’s level of competence and personal work ethic. But taking that to another level requires something more. The adage goes, it takes a village to raise a child. It’s not too different in business. It takes an inclusive and supportive environment to create something more. That environment includes tools and resources, but the core is the people you work alongside and leadership.
An environment that fosters curiosity, learning, and inclusiveness, and demonstrates that through active support, collaboration, and encouragement is one that will benefit the individual, the business unit, and the business. Support and inclusivity need to go hand in hand.
In sales, you cannot control market conditions, but what you can control as a leader is your level of support in meaningful ways to your people. In bygone times, employees were often loyal to an organization. Those days are long gone. However, we see everywhere that people are still loyal to their manager first, and then their organizational leader when they have a good one. When you get that, you get results that are greater than the sum of their parts. That is the magic.
What advice would you give to a young woman looking to enter the hospitality industry?
Debbie Kim, Managing Director, Hospitality: Surround yourself with individuals who share your passion for people and hold themselves to high standards. Seek out colleagues who provide exceptional customer service and recognize the significance of cultivating strong relationships.
In this industry, success hinges not only on your individual efforts but also on the collective commitment to excellence. Embrace opportunities to collaborate with like-minded professionals who prioritize guest satisfaction and understand the power of genuine connections. By immersing yourself in an environment where teamwork and customer-based values are highly regarded, you'll not only thrive personally but also contribute significantly to the success of your organization.
Hospitality is more than just a job—it's a commitment to creating memorable experiences and fostering lasting connections with others. In this industry, you are fortunate enough to meet some amazing people, which can cultivate true genuine friendships that may not have been possible if you were on a different journey.
From your experience, how have you seen women continue to advance their careers and receive recognition for their accomplishments in the legal industry?
Wendy Sullivan, Managing Director, Legal Services: When I started in the legal staffing space in 2004, there were far fewer female partners at law firms and female-owned eDiscovery and recruiting companies than there are now. As I have watched the industry evolve, I have seen more women recognized for their knowledge and success in what was a male dominated field. Women are now running large law firms, speaking as the keynote at conferences and deemed as “experts in their field”. I am always so impressed when I meet women who have climbed the legal ladder and become so accomplished in the industry.
How do you see the role of technology evolving in the creative and marketing sector, and what opportunities does it present for women professionals?
Jocelyn Jachimowski, Senior Vice President of Client Services, Creative & Marketing: By far, the largest opportunity I see for myself and other professional women is to become comfortable with using AI. Anyone who feels this new advancement in technology is a threat will likely find themselves left behind. Used properly, AI will make us quicker in our response time with more accurate options for our clients. My client relationships will still be a critical tool to help my team stand out, but if we can now expedite our searches and identify more targeted skillsets with the use of AI, we will become an unparalleled partner to our clients.
What steps can organizations take to foster a supportive environment for women's career growth?
Sara Pagano, Business Development Manager, Administrative & Support: One way to foster an environment that supports women’s career growth would be to encourage networking and mentoring for women, specifically through other women in positions of leadership.
Generally, creating a safe space for open dialogue and a seat at the table for women to make their voices heard promotes a workplace culture with genuine collaboration, communication, and transparency, which helps women and organizations as a whole.
Providing work-life balance and flexible, hybrid, or remote opportunities also enhances overall employee satisfaction. This can also be a driving factor for women who are more likely to emphasize workplace flexibility.
This Women’s History Month, we are reminded of building a supportive network that fosters diversity and inclusion. Our leaders emphasize the significance of an inclusive environment that values client and employee relationships. Thank you to all our contributing leaders.
