Nationwide Building Society’s CEO, Debbie Crosbie, has said women are less likely to see leaders in action since they are less likely to be present in the office. Crosbie, who introduced an end to the “work anywhere” policy for Nationwide’s non-branch employees last year, said having a “physical presence” in the office was important for career growth. Speaking on BBC R4’s Today programme, Crosbie spoke of the benefits of flexible working for those with caring responsibilities, but said leaders needed to be seen in action for the benefit of their career. Her comments were backed up by research from Durham University and the University of Sheffield, which suggested women found it harder to balance working remotely and caring responsibilities.
Nationwide had previously championed 100% remote working before Crosbie took the reins. She said she believed in a more collaborative approach, which led to the introduction of a hybrid policy. Most Nationwide full-time employees are now required to come into the office at least once or twice a week. Crosbie spoke of the need for businesses to support female leaders and families with flexible childcare options. She acknowledged the difficulties senior executives faced with managing long hours alongside childcare responsibilities, but said firms had an important role to play.
Crosbie’s comments came one year after the introduction of the new policy. Some staff criticised the decision to change the policy, but Crosbie said she had noticed a difference in office attendance. She said men were more likely to be present in the office than women, and stressed the importance of seeing and interacting with leaders for growth and development. She said she had benefited from watching female leaders in action early in her career.
In conclusion, Debbie Crosbie has said women’s careers may suffer since they are less likely to see leaders in action than men. Crosbie ended Nationwide’s “work anywhere” policy last year, believing a more collaborative approach was important. Crosbie said businesses needed to support female leaders and families with flexible childcare options. Crosbie’s comments were backed up by research, which showed women working remotely were more likely to experience blurred boundaries between work and family life
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