International Women's Day

To mark the occasion, we spoke to Imogen Brown, Head of Water Services Distribution. Imogen has risen up the ranks at Welsh Water and now manages a department of over 300 people. We talked with her about how she got there, how Covid-19 has affected working women, and her hopes for the future of the water industry.

You've worked your way up to a senior position in a traditionally male-dominated sector. What do you think has led to your success?

I think the most important thing is to do a job you love – if you’re genuinely interested in the work you do, and most importantly in the people that you work with, you’ll excel.  My career background is quantity surveying – I was always obsessed with construction and property – and ending up in utilities, particularly in water operations where no two days are the same keeps things interesting!!  

I’ve been so lucky to work for Welsh Water for the last nine years – the organisation has given me the best opportunities for development I could have asked for, and there are some fantastic role models in the business to inspire me.  I’m on my fourth role since joining the business as a Project Manager in the Capital Delivery team and keeping things fresh has motivated me to challenge what I can achieve.

What advice would you give to a woman starting out in her career now, or perhaps coming back to work after a career break? 

Have confidence.  It’s something I’ve struggled with, and I know that it has held me back in my career at times.  It can be tough trying something new or returning after some time out – but if you believe in yourself, others will believe in you too.  Also, get to know the people you work with – find out about the business, your role, and any development opportunities you can grab along the way.  Work takes up a lot of your week, so make the very best of it and enjoy it!

What would you say to people who think that obtaining gender equality in the workplace isn’t a priority right now? 

I think that the way to be the best organisation you can is to represent your customer base and society generally.  It’s really important that everyone has equal rights, responsibilities and opportunities – there is no room for any form of discrimination.  

There has been lots of research that suggests various initiatives (such as gender pay gap reporting, paid parental leave, quotas and senior female role models) help get women to more senior positions in organisations. What would you love to see more of in workplaces? 

I’d like to see a continuation of what we’ve seen during Covid-19 which is a realisation in society that employees are also parents and carers – and sometimes there is a need to work flexibly so that all responsibilities can be met.  It certainly feels like there is generally much more understanding out there. 

As a parent who came back to work when my children were 6 months old, there was always a sense of guilt – being in work when I should have been home with my children, or for having to take time out from work to be with my children if they were ill.  I think there’s much more acceptance that you can do both these days, and I think that this will really help attract women into more senior roles if we can keep that understanding going.  

There have been lots of reports that Covid-19 has particularly affected working women, with older women in particular more likely to face redundancy, and many women shouldering the majority of childcare or other caring responsibilities. What advice would you give for women experiencing this, and how can organisations help support their female employees during this time? 

I think that Covid 19 has impacted everyone, and a lot of people are feeling the strain around home schooling and caring for relatives particularly through the winter months where it feels there is no end in sight.  I think we’ve all had times where it’s felt like too much but unlike a lot of other organisations, we’ve been lucky that we haven’t faced redundancies here.

I think on a personal level my advice would be to speak to your family, share out the chores (if there’s someone to share them with!) and don’t be afraid to let people know when it’s getting too much – try and take a break, even if for a couple of hours, just to get your head together.  From a workplace perspective, I think it’s exactly what Welsh Water has done – being flexible and supportive to all employees, understanding that everyone’s situation is different, and putting trust in colleagues to do the right thing when it comes to working remotely.  

How do you think we'll know that women have obtained equality in the workplace?

I think equality will be achieved when everyone is in the job they want to do, and people aren’t ‘surprised’ by who’s doing the role.  

While we’ve come far in the last few decades, women are still underrepresented in the water sector, particularly in senior roles. What do you think the water industry will look like in 30 years’ time?

In the 9 years I’ve been at Welsh Water I’ve seen a huge number of women joining the business and doing really really well.  As I’ve said earlier, there are some fantastic female role models on the Executive Team which is brilliant to see.  I’ve thought about this previously, and sometimes wondered whether it’s a lack of interest in water sector roles from women, rather than a lack of opportunity.  I don’t think people who haven’t worked in the water industry see how rewarding and exciting it can be – so maybe it’s just a case of selling it more to attract more brilliant women.  In 30 years’ time it would be amazing to see a generally more diverse workplace which truly represents the population it serves.

If you want to find out more about International Women’s Day 2021, search the hashtag #IWD2021 on Twitter. If you’re interested in joining #TeamWelshWater, visit our careers portal here