"There’s a lot of talent at the schools gates" as industries look to plug skills gaps
WOMEN make up 47% of the workforce – but some sectors remain traditionally male dominated.
Leeds-based McCarthy’s operates in such an industry, yet bringing gender balance to its business has not only helped it access untapped talent, but also helped boost its balance sheet.
The company has 48 employees, 23 of whom are female and gender balance is visible through all levels of its business. Turnover has reached £4.3m, up from £3.5m in the previous financial year, and much of the firm’s recent expansion correlates with the growth in its female workforce.
Managing director Mike McCarthy said: “Employing more women has definitely improved our financial performance. Our main growth areas in recent years has been through storage, and that in turn has also brought growth in our home moving business.”
The family-owned company, which was founded 40 years ago as a home moving business, has diversified into self-storage, office services and confidential document disposal.
With its expansion into these areas, more women have come onboard, Mr McCarthy said. Around 80% of employees in its storage business are female, including self-storage area manager Barbara Brazil.
As head of the self-storage business, Ms Brazil is responsible for its facilities in Leeds, Wakefield and Harrogate. The facilities are open six days a week, meaning the company can accommodate a range of working patterns, including flexible and part-time working.
“The nature of the job means we also have a lot of mum-returners,” she said. “We can offer part-time, we can be very accommodating and that means we can get excellent, very highly-skilled people. There’s an awful lot of talent at the school gates.”
Providing good work-life balance – and accommodating people’s family commitments, be it children or caring responsibilities – means companies can attract the right workers, Ms Brazil said.
“You need to do the best thing for the business. Sometimes that means being more flexible and being a bit more imaginative,” she added.
Mr McCarthy said that he firmly believes taking care of his employees, male or female, means they will give the best possible service to customers, which brings people back to the company.
He added: “A lot of companies keep doing things the same way and are surprised when the results don’t change. We’re always looking to grow, but at a steady space. To do that, you’ve got to move with the times.”
