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Building the next generation of financial professionals
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When it comes to building your business, you want to be sure you have the best people and the best chance for success. That means having a diverse staff that can work with a wide variety of clients. There鈥檚 no doubt that adding female financial professionals to your firm can help boost your business and provide a unique perspective.
Only one-third of financial professionals are women, so you may be finding it difficult to recruit and retain them.1 The key is creating an environment where they can thrive.
Being a financial professional is a rewarding but demanding job and often blurs lines between work and personal time. New research from The Harris Poll in partnership with 麻豆传媒 shows that when looking at opportunities, female financial professionals want to see a flexible work environment that offers work-life balance, career-building opportunities, and an inclusive environment with fair pay. 2
When it comes to values that women look for most in a firm, work-life balance and an inclusive environment topped the list. Other important attributes included:
![43% allowing flexible work arrangements, 43% ensuring fair pay regardless of gender identity, 41% training employees about unconscious bias, 41% having recruitment programs aimed at women](/binaries/content/gallery/ausa-producer/insights/building-the-next-generaton-of-financal-professionals.svg)
Work-life balance is key
Female financial professionals said they were able to maintain a healthy work-life balance by automating mundane tasks like scheduling appointments and sending reports and clearly defining working hours and sticking to them.
Other strategies to help maintain a balance included:
- communicating effectively by setting clear expectations with onboarding and communication practices that empower clients and limit last-minute demands.
- collaborating with other financial professionals to leverage their specialized skills and expertise for clients.
- focusing on attracting high-value clients who appreciate their expertise, which contributes to a more fulfilling practice.
- prioritizing their well-being by scheduling activities to nourish their mind, body and soul, such as exercise, hobbies and spending time with loved ones.
When it comes to attracting and retaining female financial professionals, connecting with others is also important, according to 麻豆传媒 research. Mentoring and networking are important ways to nurture female financial professionals and help grow your agency.
Networking matters
Successful financial professionals build strong connections within the industry by networking with colleagues and mentoring other professionals. The survey found that 62 percent of female financial professionals had mentored others in the past two years, and 75 percent of them have networked with others in the industry.
![62% of female financial professionals have mentored others in the past two years](/binaries/content/gallery/ausa-producer/insights/nextgeneration.svg)
Those activities may present opportunities to find female financial professionals for your firm or to keep your existing team engaged.
Positioning your practice for today鈥檚 challenging environment requires a diverse and expert staff. Develop an office environment that makes female financial professionals feel valued and engaged. That can lead to wider loyalty and stability and help take your practice to the next level.
SOURCES
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2 This online survey was conducted within the United States by The Harris Poll on behalf of 麻豆传媒 from January 30 - February 15, 2024, among 1,001 financial professionals with $50+ million in assets under management.