At Enterprise, finding the right people for the job is extremely important, as we will only be as successful as the people that we employ. We strive to celebrate the many differences that make us unique, as we aim to create a culturally aware workforce and a culturally competent organisation that mirrors the makeup of the communities we serve.
With half of our employee population being women, one of our goals is to focus on making sure that we celebrate women in our business through various initiatives, such as the Enterprising Women group. In fact, we’ve been rewarded for fourteen years in a row as one of The Times’ Top 50 Employers for Women in the UK, and although we’re very proud of this award, we also feel that there still a lot of work that we can be doing to help develop women and their careers.
Here are five great TED Talks from women who inspire us, and we hope they’ll inspire you too.
1. Helping women to get to the top
Sheryl Sandberg’s famous 2010 TED Talk on why we have too few women leaders really got the media talking. She was honest about the challenges and emotional aspect of working at the top of the social media industry, but she also offered advice to those who want to reach the top. If you like what you hear, be sure to check out her follow up interview, which discussed how women should ‘Lean In’, in more detail.
2. What is your body language saying?
As a social psychologist, Amy Cuddy knows that the way people stand, sit and walk influences what others think about them, and it can have an effect on job interviews and for promotions. In her TED Talk about body language she explains why and what you should do to come across with confidence, especially as women are more likely to display non-verbal cues.
3. Celebrating success
Women can often be harder on themselves and are less likely to see their achievements in a positive light. Sarah Lewis’ TED Talk discusses the phenomena of perfection and how difficult it is to attain, especially when you’re criticising your own work and career. Sarah will make you think about it in a different way.
4. Unleashing the entrepreneur in you
At Enterprise we are big fans of entrepreneurial spirit, so we loved this TED Talk from Gayle Tzemach Lemmon, who discusses post-conflict female entrepreneurs in countries such as Rwanda and Afghanistan, and how we can be inspired and learn from those start their own businesses in some of the most difficult situations.
5. Women are heading in the right direction
Sometimes it feels like all the press talks about is the negativity around women in the workplace. Hanna Rosin’s TED Talk takes a look at data and statistics and highlights the positive – showing the great progress that women are making in their careers and the important points we should focus on to achieve greater equality in the future.
If you’re inspired to take your first steps to apply for a great career, then apply to our graduate management training or internship programme here. We look forward to getting applications from a wide variety of people because we know that diversity makes our company stronger.