Mustering admirable courage, she faltered out of the lift and into the office. The doubts plagued her throughout her journey there. Was she good enough? Was it only luck that landed her in this job? Would it only be a matter of time before she had to go and find a new job? Her new colleagues’ eyes seemed to lock on to her; she was trapped in an ocean of glares, almost petrifying her. Each step she made seemed to infinitely echo, as her bated breath was the only rhythm in the otherwise soundless room.
The office had an overly patriarchal feel to it – men outnumbered women here, perhaps around a 65/35 split. Some looked at her with little attempt to conceal their disdain: they were expecting a man to take up the new job, so her arrival wasn’t what they exactly hoped to see. Working in finance was what she had wanted to do since she was fourteen, but now she was having second thoughts. The hostile environment made her question her own abilities and talents, which she had nurtured and developed throughout her life.
“Everyone, please welcome our newest employee, Lily Fernandes.”
That must have been her boss. A mix of genuine and forced applause came from her colleagues, not helping with reducing her anxiety. Lily stood awkwardly, contemplating whether joining this company was the correct decision, before a statuesque and beautiful woman, who Lily recognised from her job interview, led Lily to her desk.
“Hi Lily, it’s so nice to meet you!” she exclaimed. “I’m Grace, your boss, and I’ll be your mentor for your first week here. Throughout my time working here, I’ve learned a lot about the working world and businesses, and the most valuable piece of advice I can give is to always contribute if you think you have a good idea. When I first came here, the employee gender ratio was even worse than it is today – it was incredibly intimidating being one of the few women in the office. Whenever I had an idea, I would be reluctant to share it, because I knew that it would have been disregarded. Once I started to contribute more, I found work much more enjoyable, even if my suggestions weren’t fully considered at times. However, with persistence, I found myself going up the ranks, in a position of power. One of my main goals has been to try and even out the company’s gender ratio. With that being said, when I interviewed you, I saw something special – problem solving and sharp thinking which I hadn’t witnessed in years. If everything goes to plan, you could develop into one of the company’s most valuable assets. Yes, it’s not easy to join in a firm dominated by men, but your relationships with your colleagues define how good of a team worker you can be. It’s all up to you to earn their respect.”
Lily knew that this wouldn’t be easy, not in the slightest.