In the period of October-December 2020, there were 15.49 million women aged 16+ working in the United Kingdom, down 117,000 from the previous year. The female labour force participation rate was 71.8%, down from a high of 72.4% the previous year. The employment rate for men was 80.6%. Full-time employment accounted for 9.61 million women, while part-time employment accounted for 5.88 million. Part-time work was mostly dominated by women (38%) relative to men (13%).

Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, on average women in the UK received a salary of nearly a fifth (17.3%) less than men. While the gender pay gap has narrowed in recent years, it will take decades to close at its current rate of decline.

Since the start of the pandemic, women have seen a rise in redundancies, unemployment, and those claiming unemployment benefits. Women have been furloughed at a higher rate than men under the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme, this is partly because women are more likely to work in a field that has been affected by the pandemic.

This event will address the most pressing issues for female professionals in the workplace, issues that have been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. The event will discuss the means of supporting women in the workplace, building the female talent pipeline, and breaking stereotypes and biases. As well as looking to the importance of a diverse and representative workforce in the UK.