Diversity in the workplace should be a core organisational offering with benefits such as flexible/ agile working available to all,  not just women.  Opportunity Now recognises this and working with our members have produced an easy to follow toolkit . Together with the latest legislation and Whitehall directives this multimedia section aims to give the reader practical ideas for workplace implementation with a Focus on Fathers.

Sarah Williams-Gardener, Director

For almost two decades Opportunity Now and its members have worked to ensure that business, governments and society fully tap into the talents of women in the workplace. We have seen encouraging progress but it is still too slow.  Far more women have entered the pipeline and have achieved management positions, but they are still seriously under represented in senior leadership positions. Cranfield University’s Female FTSE Report 2008 showed that women hold only 12 % of board positions in the top 100 firms despite women making up half of the workforce and 59% of university graduates.  The Equality and Human Rights Commission Report, Sex and Power, shows a vastly unequal number of men and women achieving the most senior roles in local government, the senior civil service, universities, the police and the judiciary.
Leadership: Talent and Transformation explores the challenges that leaders face in aligning organisations with 21^st century realities and the qualities and competencies they will need to do this. Women have not been found wanting and are well equipped to contribute. However, talent systems will need to be less biased and more robust and organisation cultures more inclusive. Opportunity Now looks forward to working with our members and partners to make this happen.

As the UK struggles through the worst recession in recent history there has never been a more significant time for organisations to focus on the talent within and to invest in the future by developing their staff.  To be fit for the future this talent must be diverse and equipped to adapt to changing workplace dynamics and employee expectations.  At the recent ON conference focusing on leadership for change, speakers included:
Jackie Orme CEO, CIPD
Binna Kandola Senior Partner, Pearn Kandola
and interactive workshops provided practical solutions to addressing the  following issues:

• Leadership Skills and Emotional Intelligence
• Addressing Unconcious Bias and Leveraging Change
• Developing Effective Leaders
• Engaging and Deploying Leaders as Change agents.

The day  looked to the future whilst examining current thinking around leadership.  A look at what effective leadership will look like in the workplaces of tomorrow was also featured.
A supporting peice of research is available for downloading here: Leadership for Change

The Awards Gala Dinner, marking the culmination of the prestigious Opportunity Now Awards was held at the Brewery Chiswell St London.  A sparkling evening celebrating and rewarding the successes of Opportunity Now members'  initiatives who work toward transforming the workplace by ensuring inclusiveness for women, supporting their potential to be economically active as men.  The case studies for all finalists are a feature in the Awards 2009 section.  Read, enjoy and be inspired !