Tag: women

Five women-founded companies selected for unique scale-up programme by Endeavor Ireland, in conjunction with Philip Lee LLP

Five women founded companies have been selected to take part in a new scale-up programme delivered by Endeavor Ireland, in conjunction with Philip Lee LLP.

The programme is the first of its kind in Ireland and will see each of the successful applicants receive 10 one-on-one mentorships over the next five months, tailored specifically to their individual needs.

Endeavor is a global not-for-profit organisation with a mission to support and accelerate high-impact entrepreneurs by connecting them with talent, capital and a worldwide peer and mentor network. It runs scale up programmes around the world and this is the first programme to be offered in Ireland, after the opening of its Irish office in 2019.

Following a call for applications last October, the following women-founded companies have been selected to take part: Chupi; Axonista; inclusio; Orphan Drug Consulting; and Riley.

The programme kicked off with a session in Dublin led by Anne Heraty, Endeavor Ireland Board member and Anna Hickey, Partner at Philip Lee.

Rory Guinan, Managing Director of Endeavor Ireland, said; “Endeavor is a not-for-profit organisation with a focus on supporting entrepreneurs with high-impact potential to scale up, and to ultimately provide a societal benefit for Ireland.  We’ve been very impressed with the entrepreneurs we’ve worked with since establishing in Ireland and eleven founders have now come through the rigorous selection process for our core entrepreneur programme.

We’re delighted to confirm that Katie and Philip McGlade of Thérapie Clinic came through the selection process last week. They have experienced phenomenal growth in their business in the last number of years, and we’re looking forward to working with them to build on that even further.  It’s great to have Katie on board in particular, because she is the first woman entrepreneur to make it through the selection process since we established in Ireland. We want to work with more ambitious women entrepreneurs and that was the  main motivation for establishing this new five-month scale-up programme for women entrepreneurs.

“We had a huge response to the call for applications and we’re excited to get started with the successful founders. When entrepreneurs are asked what had the biggest impact on them as they build their business, two of the most common responses are having access to quality mentors and a network of trust. That is what we will provide in this programme through our global network and our hope is that it will help the founders to build on the significant success that they’ve already achieved,” he said.

Anna Hickey, Partner at Philip Lee, said; “We’re delighted to partner with Endeavor Ireland on this Scale Up Programme. Over the next five months we are looking forward to working with the five successful applicants, to help them realise their ambitions to scale their businesses globally.”

Speaking at the inaugural session of the programme, which was held at the Philip Lee office in Dublin, the founders, which work in a diverse range of industries, made the following comments:

Claire McHugh, CEO at Axonista, pioneers in livestream video commerce solutions, said; “I’m very excited to be taking part in this programme. Endeavor’s purpose aligns with our own ambition to scale quickly and be at the forefront of building an emerging new ecosystem that is innovating interactive experiences and making video commerce accessible to brands across the globe.  I know Endeavor’s targeted support will help me realise my goal to make Axonista a world leader in interactive, live video commerce.

Chupi Sweetman, CEO at Chupi Fine Jewellery said; “I’ve been very impressed by what I’ve heard about Endeavor since it established in Ireland, so I’m excited to take part in this programme. The calibre of the people on the Endeavor Ireland Board is truly inspiring and having access to the Endeavor global network is a great opportunity that I know will be a huge support as we continue growing Chupi globally.”

Sandra Healy, CEO at the science-based diversity and inclusion platform inclusio, said; “I’m looking forward to building my network and learning from the experts in Philip Lee, and from the global Endeavor network. Getting advice from people like Anne Heraty is such a great opportunity, and I’m thrilled that the other founders are at different stages in their growth and working in a varied range of sectors– we’ll have a lot to learn from each other as well as through the 10 one-on-one mentorships that will be organised for us all.”

Evelyn Kelly, Chief Executive of Orphan Drug Consulting, said; “We have ambitious plans for growth – we aim to increase our sales three-fold in the next five years. To do that we are targeting new markets so it’s ideal timing for us to tap into the support of the Endeavor network and the mentorship offered through this programme.”

Fiona Parfrey, Aine Kilkenny and Lauren Duggan are co-founders of Riley, the sustainable period care company. Fiona Parfrey said; “We are ambitious for scaling Riley internationally, so this programme has come along at exactly the right time for us. The one-on-one support tailored to our specific needs, and access to the global Endeavor network, will be invaluable to us as we look to build market share in international markets.”

Aine Kilkenny said; “We’ve seen the calibre of the companies that have gone through the Endeavor selection process and they all speak so highly of it so we’re delighted Riley has been selected for its first Scale Up Programme in Ireland. We are less than two years old so the hands-on support will be really beneficial for us as we work on growing our business.”

New Dell research ranks Dublin amongst top 25 cities globally on ability to foster women entrepreneurship

A new study from Dell Technologies unveiled today has ranked Dublin as 23rd out of 55 cities globally for its ability to attract and foster women entrepreneurs.

 The 2023 Women Entrepreneur Cities (WE Cities) Index ranks cities across the world based on their ability to attract high potential women entrepreneurs (HPWE) who want to do more, scale faster and thrive.

This year’s Index shows positive, forward progress for Dublin since Dell first launched the research in 2016. While it ranked 23rd in the Index overall this year, Dublin also demonstrated consistent progress as it registered the 3rd highest momentum score. The city climbed 11 positions since 2017, when it ranked 34th.

Dublin also excelled in the list of the most advanced cities for women entrepreneurs in the technology sector, ranking 7th. The research specifically highlighted the city’s advantage in the access to a qualified and diverse workforce and its central role as a major global hub for cybersecurity.

Dublin ranks 8th out of the 55 cities in gender equality in leadership in the tech industry and 12th for its access to mentors and role models for women.

Commenting on the research, Ciara Dempsey, Regional Sales Senior Manager at Dell Technologies Ireland, said: “The Dell WE Cities report is a key piece of research that not only highlights the importance of creating an environment where women entrepreneurs can thrive but also how collectively we can empower a greater number of female leaders to create and grow their business here in Ireland.

“While there’s still much progress to be made, it’s fantastic to see Dublin recognised as an emerging hub for talented women entrepreneurs, especially in the technology industry. By further investing in high potential women entrepreneurs and equipping policymakers with data-driven insights, we can foster an ecosystem where business leaders and entrepreneurs can grow regardless of gender.”

 Building on the annual research, the survey by Dell serves as a tool to advise policymakers on how to better support women in business, and profiles global centers of commerce by their overall suitability for women entrepreneurs.

WE Cities Ranking and Methodology

The 55 cities included in the Dell WE Cities 2023 were ranked on five important characteristics: capital, technology, talent, culture and markets. These pillars were organized into two groups — operating environment and enabling environment. The overall rating is based on 72 indicators; 45 of these (nearly two-thirds) have a gender-based component. Individual indicators were weighted based on four criteria: relevance, quality of underlying data, uniqueness in the index and gender component.

Dell WE Cities 2023 Ranking – Overall

  1. London
  2. New York
  3. Bay Area
  4. Paris
  5. Stockholm
  6. Chicago
  7. Los Angeles
  8. Toronto
  9. Sydney
  10. Boston
  11. Washington DC
  12. Melbourne
  13. Seattle
  14. Wellington
  15. Berlin
  16. Amsterdam
  17. Copenhagen
  18. Auckland
  19. Vancouver
  20. Atlanta
  21. Portland
  22. Singapore
  23. Dublin
  24. Austin
  25. Miami
  26. Barcelona
  27. Minneapolis
  28. Taipei
  29. Hong Kong
  30. Beijing
  31. Houston
  32. Warsaw
  33. Pittsburgh
  34. Belfast
  35. Shanghai
  36. Munich
  37. Tel Aviv
  38. Milan
  39. Kuala Lumpur
  40. Dubai
  41. Seoul
  42. Johannesburg
  43. Nairobi
  44. Hamburg
  45. Tokyo
  46. Bangalore
  47. Montpellier
  48. Mumbai
  49. Delhi
  50. Istanbul
  51. Sao Paulo
  52. Lima
  53. Mexico City
  54. Jakarta
  55. Guadalajara

Dell WE Cities 2023 Ranking – Technology Pillar

  1. Copenhagen
  2. Beijing
  3. Stockholm
  4. Shanghai
  5. Wellington
  6. Singapore
  7. Dublin
  8. Auckland
  9. Montpellier
  10. Warsaw

To read the full study, visit: https://dwen.com/en-us/we-cities-2023/

Workhuman survey shows 57% of women in Ireland feel obligated to work while sick, versus 34% of men

Workhuman, the company revolutionising the way employees celebrate, connect with, and appreciate each other in the workplace, is today announcing the results of a survey which highlights men and women’s perceived obligations when it comes to working remotely in Ireland, as well as the impact that their job has on their mental wellbeing. The research found that more than half (57%) of women in Ireland feel obligated to work while sick when working remotely, compared with just a third (34%) of men. It also found that women in Irish workplaces (40%) are more likely than men (32%) to feel mentally exhausted and drained after the working day.

Despite these disparities, Workhuman’s survey found that women and men are equally likely to feel respected at work in Ireland. The research showed that 65% of women working in Ireland feel respected in their jobs, compared to 64% of men. Meanwhile, over half (55%) of both women and men are likely to feel appreciated for their work.

The survey was carried out by Dynata on behalf of Workhuman across 2,268 full-time employees in Ireland, the UK, the U.S., and Canada. The aim of the research was to explore the state of human connection at work. It found that while men and women are equally likely to feel respected and appreciated at work, women are more likely to value diversity and inclusion in the workplace. When it comes to staying at their organisation, some 84% of women reported that diversity and inclusion is important to them, compared to 73% of men. Meanwhile, men working in Ireland (49%) are slightly more likely than women (42%) to see a clear path for growth within their organisation.

The research also provided insights into the experiences of parents working in Ireland. It found that parents are less likely to feel respected at work than parents in the UK, U.S., or Canada combined (64% vs 72%), while 60% were more likely to feel overworked in the last 12 months compared to 52% of their global counterparts and 40% of non-parents working in Ireland.

Niamh Graham, Senior Vice President Global Human Experience, Workhuman, said: “This research highlights work practices and sentiments in a post-pandemic world and allows us to observe how Irish workers fare against their global counterparts. Women working remotely in Ireland clearly feel significantly more pressure to work while they are unwell, compared to their male colleagues. Whether this is external or internal pressure, it is something that must be addressed by every organisation as they strive to create more human-led workforces.

“We know from our own research that gender bias still exists in Irish – and global – workplaces. Managers must not only ensure that they themselves are treating everyone equally, but they must also be aware of how their team members are perceiving and acting upon their roles and obligations, and make sure that the workload is not disproportionately distributed based on a person’s gender, race or otherwise.

“Despite the differing attitudes highlighted in our research, it is encouraging to see that both women and men feel equally respected and appreciated at work in Ireland. Showing appreciation and recognising employees is not only good for the human, but also good for business.

“It is clear that more needs to be done to support working parents in organisations across the board. Fostering a culture of belonging and taking the time to understand and get to know employees as people, who have rich lives outside of work, starts with putting wellbeing at the centre of your HR strategy. Employers need to continue to build a culture of recognition and appreciation, especially in the decentralised workplace where conscious efforts should be made to connect with employees.”

Workhuman announces number of workplace awards, including Best Large Workplace, Best Workplace in Tech and Best Workplace for Women in Ireland

Workhuman, the company revolutionising the way employees celebrate, connect with, and appreciate each other in the workplace, is today announcing a number of recent workplace award wins. These awards recognise Workhuman’s commitment to building more connected and human-centred workplaces

“After two years of disconnection, uncertainty and a lot of Zoom calls, the future of the workplace has been changed forever and one thing is clear, it is more human,” said Steve Pemberton, Workhuman CHRO. “Workhuman has always prioritised our people and we will always ensure that they feel connected, supported, heard and appreciated. These accolades are a great validation of our mission to bring more humanity to the workplace and we are proud to provide a great place to work for our 1,000 employees, and for our future humans.”

When people are recognised and celebrated at work, they thrive – and so does business. For more than 20 years, Workhuman has been building more human workplaces for organisations around the work by creating cultures of recognition that see lowered turnover, improved performance, and increased engagement. With the Workhuman Cloud technology and its people, the organisation is creating a better future for the workplace, community, and the world.

In addition to the workplace-focused awards, Workhuman co-founder and CEO, Eric Mosley, was named to the CEO 100 Index 2022 list by Business & Finance Ireland​.

Innovation. Determination. Imagination. Respect. At Workhuman, these are the values their humans live and breathe each day, and this is what they look for in future humans. The company is hiring across most departments in the US, Ireland, and Europe; open roles can be found here.

Great Place to Work® Ireland:

Burn out and pressures of family life cause 40% of Irish women to consider quitting their job – Indeed research

More than a third of women (40%) have considered quitting their job in the last 12 months, citing burn out and the pressures of family life as the reasons for thinking about leaving the workforce. These are findings in research conducted in Ireland by jobs site Indeed, published on the eve of International Women’s Day on 8th March.

Feeling burnt out was the most common reason (33%) cited for considering leaving a job, particularly for women in older age cohorts – 45 to 54 and 55 to 64 years old – where 55% felt they needed a break. The second highest reason cited (22%) was that it had become too hard to balance work and home responsibilities. The work/life balance issue was particularly felt by the cohort of women most likely to have young children – aged 35-44 – with 37% of this group finding juggling career and family responsibilities too difficult.

The majority of both men (79%) and women (68%) felt that there was equal pay in their workplace, regardless of gender. However a significant proportion of female respondents (30%) felt men were generally paid more at their company, compared to just 17% of male respondents. Irish employers will soon be obliged to publish information showing the gender pay gap in their business, following the passing of the Gender Pay Gap Information Act last year.

The majority of women (56%) also believe that their employer should be doing more to help them in their career, compared to 38% of men. The most important forms of allyship to help women in the workplace that women cited were: calling out discrimination (24%); providing education on the challenges women face in the workplace (20%); and being an advocate for female career development (18%).

On a positive note, women were more optimistic than men about their future earnings, with 82% of women surveyed saying they expect to be earning more in five years’ time, a view shared by 71% of men surveyed.

Glenda Kirby is vice president of client success at Indeed and heads up Women at Indeed, the company’s internal platform for female inclusion. Commenting on the research she said:

“The findings are a reminder of the specific challenges women still face in the workplace. Particularly striking are the high numbers of women considering leaving the workforce due to lack of support, which emphasises how vital it is for employers to do more to create a working environment that is supportive. The research highlights how important it is for women to hear their employer advocating for female career development and making sure discrimination is called out and addressed. Having a seat at the table isn’t enough if workers don’t feel like they belong there.”

Jack Kennedy, Economist at Indeed added:

“In addition to being the right thing to do, in a tight labour market it is companies that demonstrate they are taking a lead on diversity issues who will stand out in attracting new talent. With the acceptance of working from home and more flexible working arrangements employers should seize the opportunity to showcase that they are genuinely committed to creating an environment that is supportive of women and prioritises a proper work/life balance.”