Laurie Schupmann has been a partner at PwC, an assurance, tax and advisory servicer, for 17 years. She’s worked in Washington, D.C., Amsterdam, New York City and currently heads up the PwC office in Stamford, overseeing more than 400 employees. Being a woman in a high-power position, we asked the following about challenges women typically face and her advice for anyone looking to advance their careers.
Business Journal: How can diversity help a workforce?
Schupmann: “Diversity in the workforce, in all forms, expands our perspective and therefore enhances the point of view we offer to our clients. Diverse backgrounds, thinking and experiences enhance our ability to identify opportunities and risks for discussion with our clients. A diverse workforce also means a melting pot of life experiences, which significantly enriches the professional experience for our staff.”
What kinds of challenges do women typically face?
“Women often make difficult choices to balance career and other, often family, priorities. In my experience, the challenge in balancing life’s competing priorities is experienced by both women and men alike.
“Having workplace flexibility is important and this is especially true for working mothers. As a mother of two, I feel very fortunate to work for a firm like PwC that offers employees significant flexibility in determining when and where work responsibilities may be fulfilled. PwC’s culture of teamwork also significantly contributes to the flexibility of each member of the team. At PwC, you can be fully committed to your family, while having a rewarding career.”
How can an employer help with these issues?
“Seeking regular feedback from your employees and challenging the organization to be highly responsive to the changing career and life aspirations of your workforce is key. We’ve found that even small things, for example an extra day off over a holiday weekend or a mobile app to perform routine administrative activities, go a long way to helping our employees maintain a healthy work/life balance.
Do you think certain fields are more difficult than others for women to climb the ladder in? If so, which fields and why?
“I think climbing the corporate ladder is getting easier in many industries and I know it is in the professional services industry. Organizations of all types need diverse skills, experiences and perspectives to thrive in today’s global marketplace. Organizations expect the same of their business partners. So opportunities for women and other diverse professionals are better than ever.”
What kinds of obstacles have you personally faced in your career? Did you have any challenges that were related to your gender?
“I’ve not experienced significant challenges related to my gender but I have experienced plenty of other challenges. I’ve been fortunate to have a long and rewarding career at PwC; one that has enabled me to grow from an entry-level staff associate to lead our team in Stamford and lead large global engagements. My family and I have relocated twice for great professional opportunities, including for an international assignment and each time there is an element of starting over, which is a challenge both professionally and personally. But I learned long ago that my own professional development and personal satisfaction have been the greatest when working through the biggest challenges in my career.”
What advice do you have for both men and women looking to advance their careers?
“I often advise others to take advantage of as many unique opportunities as possible. Volunteering for new assignments, expanding one’s personal comfort zone, building personal and professional networks and enhancing leadership and other skills is almost always wonderfully satisfying. I’ve been getting involved in activities beyond my core responsibilities for years and have found those experiences to be among the most challenging and satisfying of my career. For example, I am currently a volunteer board member of the United Way of Western Connecticut and this experience has been incredibly rewarding for me to use my workplace skills to better service our community.”
Do you think there is more work to be done about gender equality?
“There are always opportunities to enhance the daily work experience to enable all members of the team to thrive and perform at their best. At PwC, we are continually investing in the experience we offer to our employees because we know they are the key to fulfilling our firm’s commitment of highest quality services to investors, the capital markets, our clients and other stakeholders. I’m very proud that great professional opportunities are equally available to everyone at PwC.”