This blog is largely my own observations about forging out a career in a workplace where men outnumber women 2:1. Let me paint the scene a little further.. working stereotypes are very much apparent - the vast majority of companies are filled with white middle class men ( then white middle class women), minorities are still exactly that and gender follows the traditional roles... women still populate the HR departments ,whilst men dominate most city executive boards.
So, what reasons are there that 1 square mile in London stoically refuses to embrace any form of workplace change? Whilst there are several aspects of this question I could discuss, I am going to start with what I like to call the Old Boys Club. The OBC. The city equivalent of 'out with the boys' . In my view, men who work in the city have seemingly not been able to shake off their tarzan jungle roots and like to work seamlessly together in absolutely impenetrable clusters, the power of which cannot be underestimated.
These clusters begin when men first enter the work place in their early 20s and quickly establish a peer group.I say 'establish' the reality being a 2 hour visit to the pub, every lunchtime, over 3 pints of wife beater (Stella) discussing the latest football scores or when the next corporate golf day is. Clearly, women are also entering the workplace at the same time. Do the same rules apply? Absoluement non! The chances of an invite to this secret drinking club are remote and if it magically has been forthcoming, even if you are the most sports savvy, fun loving, beer swilling woman going, penetrating this group on the same basis is out of the question (If you happen to be attractive to boot it is nigh on impossible!). Alas most men can't seem to get beyond the gender barrier.. the same level of trust is not apparent and the loose speak of who they would most like to bang in the office will be moderated on your arrival.. unless you've crossed the line into geezer bird territory*. Geezer bird territory can only be achieved by knowing lesser league football players, drinking / smoking at the same level, probably being a bit fat (to negate the attractiveness) and is actually a marker that you are fundamentally unshaggable to them. But still the most dark secrets will be kept from you.
As time moves on, members of the group progress in their careers and may have moved on through 2 or 3 employers. A massively important phase for the OBC as it means... tentacles. And tentacles mean a network. A network all round the city! And this means most importantly to the OBC, protection. And once a state of protection is reached the members are only interested in looking after each other in all aspects of working life... promotions, long lunches, expenses, covering each other's arses etc etc etc. Handily also for the OBC in making their network even stronger is that plenty of women in the city exit the workplace during this phase to start families.. and do not return.
It's a interesting fact that it was only in 1972 that women were first allowed into the underwriting room into Lloyd's of London.. it doesn't take a brain scientist to work out that there are a large number of men still working in the city who worked at Lloyds at this time. Therefore having to 'deal' with women in the workplace is a fairly recent phenomenon to many of those approaching retirement.I am regularly regaled with stories of the good old days in the late 80s and early 90s when drinking laws meant that most of the watering holes were private members clubs where men would go to each lunchtime and emerge some time later to run back to their boxes so their mates could bring the business which filled the coffers to enable this cycle to continue. And largely this hasn't changed. A known expression of 'deals on the back of fag packet' were just that... cos folk were too pissed to go back to work to do the sign off.
On a daily basis I see these clusters at work and the way the younger network are championed by the older network... leaving their legacy in a safe pair of hands. These hands are seldom female ones due to the above behaviours. I, along with a good pal, have been drinking in and around a certain cluster for over TEN years now... they are all great fun, know a good deal of our lives in and outside of the city and look out for us. But they are IMPENETRABLE - the inner secrets are never divulged to us and usually we find out 12 months later and guffaw when it emerges one of them has been carrying on with someone we know for the last 3 years in some sort of torrid affair. If you don't have a dick, you can't be trusted, see.
So what weapons do career minded females have at their disposal to fight these networks with? Enter stage right.. yep, the lowest common denominators - Looks and sex and what these actually provide.. manipulation. More of which in the next post...
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