Consulting Challenges

Nearly 90% of women in consulting have considered or actively planned to leave the industry this year. The main reasons? The unrelenting demands of long working hours and frequent travel, which often conflict with personal commitments. These findings come from our recent global study, where we interviewed over 150 women in mid-to-senior consulting roles. While many firms have introduced progressive initiatives—such as childcare support and flexible working policies—the women we spoke to highlighted a consistent issue: these policies are often applied inconsistently. For example, designated “protected” evening hours are frequently ignored, adding to the strain. A surprising insight was the lack of awareness around health-related benefits, such as leave for egg freezing. This highlights a critical need for more effective communication from employers. While many rely on email and internal systems, a more personalised approach has been shown to achieve better engagement and understanding. The women in our study overwhelmingly called for stronger mentorship to create a more inclusive and supportive environment. They emphasised the importance of mentoring not only from senior female leaders but also from male allies in senior positions who can actively promote diversity and inclusion. If you’re interested in exploring our study further or want to learn how leading firms are tackling these issues, please get in touch.

You know it. I know it. Return to office isn't neutral. It disproportionately impacts women, especially mothers and caregivers. I was honored to share my thoughts with Taylor Telford for her latest The Washington Post piece exploring how aggressive RTO policies are pushing women's progress backwards. (Link in comments) As I shared in this piece, it is not a "choice" when the options are so limited. Women are once again finding themselves pushed out of the paid workforce. Some key takeaways from the article: 👉 After decades of gradual progress, the gender wage gap is widening again. In 2024, women earned just 80.9 cents for every dollar earned by men, dropping from 84 cents in 2022. 👉 For many women, especially those with caregiving responsibilities, rigid office policies are forcing "choices": accept demotions, take pay cuts, or leave entirely. 👉 Turnover among women at companies with strict in-office mandates is nearly THREE TIMES that of men. 👉 The lack of affordable, accessible childcare continues to widen the pay gap. 👉 Policies like RTO and limiting flexibility are stagnating women who feel forced to step off the ladder towards career growth to manage caregiving. This is exactly why at WRK/360, our mission is to help workplaces ACTUALLY be family and caregiving friendly. Not just in rhetoric, but in policy, culture, and practice. The dynamics the article highlights aren’t hypothetical; they are the exact challenges we work with our clients on daily. ✔️ We help companies design policies (e.g., hybrid, flexible schedules, core hours) that allow for collaboration without penalizing caregivers ✔️We coach leadership on equitable performance criteria so that remote or hybrid contributors are not implicitly devalued ✔️We partner with organizations to embed family-supportive programs that retain talent. HR and leadership teams: 👉 Still considering an RTO mandate? Think about what this really means for women and caregivers. 👉 Already have one in place? Run an audit on your turnover. How has this policy impacted men vs. women? Caregivers vs. non-caregivers? What talent are you losing? Together, we can protect the progress made over decades and stop pushing women and caregivers out of the paid workforce.

Either successful or liked: The double standards for #female leaders in #consulting [Phd Insights] Something that stood out to me from my #PhD results was the clarity about the expectations towards women in a male-gendered organization such as consulting: As a female leader, you hardly ever win ⚠️ Why is that? The reason are the societal expectations towards how women should be and behave. And how leaders should be and behave (see Cuddy et al. 2015, Thiele 2023, Dede 2024). Either you are acting from your role as a leader: Maybe assertive in some decisions, leading the team, tackling client problems factually 👉 then you will be perceived less favorably as a women (from all genders alike!) Or you are acting from your role as a women: Maybe caring about your teams' challenges and listening empathetically or giving in in a conflict with clients 👉 then you will be perceived less strong and less competent as a leader Women face these double standards and have to choose. A successful female manager phrased it in the interviews as follows: [German original] "Das sehe ich so als die stereotypisch männlichen Charakteristika, die da erwartet werden. Mit denen dann auch frau erfolgreicher wird. Aber natürlich: Männer sind dann immer noch sympathisch, Frauen leider nicht mehr, aber, …sie können dann auch erfolgreich werden." So you can either be successful - or liked. Choose wisely. 📚 Do you want more insights? See Dede 2024! Read chapter 6.2 from my #PhD on the career paths of women in higher management [link in the comments] ________ Hi 👋 I am Kim, Female Career Coach at The Dede Company and LinkedIn #TopVoice for Job & Career from Germany living in Dubai. If you want the extra motivation for your career, just hit #follow 🔔

For me, Deloitte’s fourth annual Women @ Work Global Outlook (https://deloi.tt/3Ue3K25) is one of the most important reads of 2024, providing a critical barometer into the current workplace and societal factors impacting women’s careers worldwide. In reflecting the lived experiences of 5,000 women professionals across 10 countries, this year’s report dives into the key issues impacting women in the workplace – and one of the most important findings is on the increasing toll of stress and long working hours on women’s mental health. This year’s report found that, while there has been some progress in reducing burnout from 2023, half of women still report higher stress levels compared to a year ago, with 48% expressing concerns about their mental health. It is particularly concerning that a third of women have taken time off work in the past year due to mental health challenges and two-thirds feel uncomfortable discussing mental health in the workplace due to stigma and fear of career repercussions. To say the least, this report shows that there is much more work to be done in achieving true gender equality in the workplace – especially when it comes to mental health. As the report outlines, by going beyond just recognizing the importance of mental health at work and understanding the key drivers of workplace stress for women, organizations can lead meaningful change and build a culture where women can be open about their mental health without fear of penalty or stigma.  

The room decides without you. Only 23% of employees have a sponsor at work. That means 77% are trying to advance on performance alone, hoping someone notices their results and promotes them accordingly. But here's what I see happen: talented women collect mentors, implement feedback, refine their leadership presence. Promotions still go elsewhere. Skills aren't the issue. Access is. A mentor helps you prepare for opportunities. A sponsor creates them and puts your name forward when you're not in the room. Women with sponsors are 167% more likely to land high-profile assignments. The kind with bigger budgets, C-suite visibility, strategic impact. The projects that demonstrate executive readiness. Without someone fighting for you in closed-door discussions? Those assignments go to someone else. Yet formal sponsorship programs for women dropped from 31% in 2017 to just 16% in 2024. Companies are cutting these initiatives exactly when women need them most to break into senior leadership. The numbers: Women make up 51% of individual contributors but only 30% of C-suite roles. The drop happens in the middle, where sponsorship matters most. Real sponsorship looks like this: → Someone with power amplifying your achievements to decision-makers → Recommending you for visible projects → Connecting you to influential leaders → Defending you against biased evaluations It requires them to spend their credibility on you. That's why it feels scarce. When I built Ellect, I kept seeing the same pattern across industries and continents... women receiving advice while men received advocacy. Mentorship was abundant. Doors stayed closed. Ellect exists to change that. We create direct pathways to leadership and board opportunities because advice alone can't close the gap. Doors open from the inside, you need someone to unlock them. So ask yourself: who is fighting for you in rooms where you're not present? If you're a leader with influence, who are you actively sponsoring? Are you recommending women for stretch assignments, using your credibility to open doors? The gender gap in leadership requires people with power to use it differently. https://lnkd.in/gUxH-qkT

Think overdelivering will keep your clients happy? Think again. Here’s how to avoid burnout as a consultant. When you shift from a full-time role to consulting, it’s easy to fall into an old trap: treating every opportunity like a full-time job. Overdelivering. Overextending. And ultimately, burning out. On a recent Business Building call with clients, I shared with them... "The most nefarious thing is the story we tell ourselves, but we’re also setting expectations by overextending." The story? That if we don’t give everything, we won’t land (or keep) the client. But here’s the reality: Overextending doesn’t just exhaust you, it sets the wrong expectations. Clients come to rely on extra hours, unlimited availability, or added scope... without understanding the real value of your work. The result? You undervalue yourself, misalign expectations, and risk sacrificing long-term success. Failing to set boundaries as a consultant creates: • Burnout: You feel drained, losing the passion that made you start consulting in the first place.    • Scope Creep: Projects spiral beyond the original agreement without compensation.    • Misaligned Value: Clients undervalue your expertise because they see your time as endless.    The Fix: Set Clear Boundaries To protect your time and deliver impact without overextending, implement these strategies: 𝗗𝗲𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗦𝗰𝗼𝗽𝗲 𝗘𝗮𝗿𝗹𝘆 Clearly outline deliverables, timelines, and expectations in every proposal. 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗔𝘃𝗮𝗶𝗹𝗮𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 Set working hours and response times upfront. Example: “I’m available for calls between 9 AM and 2 PM on weekdays.” 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝘆 𝗙𝗶𝗿𝗺 𝗼𝗻 𝗔𝗴𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀 If additional work arises, renegotiate the contract. Example: “That’s outside the scope of our initial agreement—let’s discuss an add-on package.” 𝗥𝗲𝗳𝗿𝗮𝗺𝗲 𝗢𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗱𝗲𝗹𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 Focus on delivering outcomes, not overcommitting your time. Your impact comes from results, not the number of hours you spend. 𝗖𝗵𝗲𝗰𝗸 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗦𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 Ask yourself: “Am I overextending because I’m afraid of losing the client? What evidence supports that fear?” Boundaries don’t just protect you, they elevate your client relationships by reinforcing your value and professionalism.

🔹 The “Go-To” Trap: A Story About Boundaries & Burnout (And why being too available might cost you more than you think) Rhea was the go-to girl at her workplace. Fresh out of college, enthusiastic, and driven — she said “yes” to everything. Extra hours? She stayed. Unassigned work? She volunteered. Colleagues dropping the ball? She picked it up. She believed that being helpful would lead to growth, recognition, and loyalty in return. But here’s what actually happened: She became invisible. Not in effort — but in value. People stopped thanking her. They assumed she’d always be available. She wasn’t seen as exceptional — just expected. And when the company went through restructuring, Rhea was let go. Not because she underperformed. But because she over-gave without protecting her own space. She had unknowingly given permission to be used, and with that, gave silent consent to be discarded when the utility faded. No one fought for her. No one remembered the weekends she worked. No one acknowledged the projects she saved. She left in silence — heartbroken and exhausted. ⸻ 💡 Here’s the truth: If you don’t set boundaries, you will be replaced without hesitation. Being helpful is beautiful. Being indispensable but invisible is dangerous. ✨ “When you give permission to be used, you have already given a consent to be thrown away when there is no more use. So either put a stop the moment you know you are used, or be okay to be kicked out when they are done with you. Sobbing and crying are not an option here.” — Snehal R Singh ⸻ 🔁 Have you ever experienced this? Or seen someone like Rhea in your team? Let’s talk boundaries, burnout, and reclaiming our worth. 👇 Drop your thoughts below. #WorkplaceWellbeing #BoundariesAtWork #Leadership #CareerLessons #BurnoutRecovery #SnehalRSingh #LinkedInStorytelling #EmotionalIntelligence #CorporateWisdom

Let’s talk about something most business owners silently struggle with: Burnout. Not the kind that hits after one exhausting week— The kind that builds over months of overcommitting, overdelivering, and overstretching. And here’s the part many don’t realize: -Burnout isn’t just about workload. -It’s about weak boundaries. I’ve coached countless entrepreneurs who love what they do… But are slowly resenting the way they’re doing it. Why? Because they never defined: -When their workday ends -Which clients are the right fit -What “enough” actually looks like -How to say no without guilt -They confuse hustle with dedication. -They think being available all the time is being professional. -They believe rest is a reward—not a requirement. But the truth is: You can’t lead, grow, or serve sustainably from a depleted place. So in my coaching, we rebuild from the inside out. -We set boundaries that protect energy. -We redefine success to include peace. -We create businesses that support your life—not consume it. Because real growth doesn’t cost your well-being. And burnout doesn’t have to be part of your story.

Challenges For Women In Corporate America. Today, I am the ghost writer for several women who asked me if I would be willing to use my voice on this platform to speak openly about challenges women face in Corporate America. Most of them asked me to not share their names but 🐙 Kelly Yale & Dana Georgiou, CPLA, CFM insisted on being tagged. These 2 ladies are incredible people & very influential in the mortgage industry. If you are not connected to them, start following them today. I was told that 95% of women that read this will likely be able to relate to one or more of the challenges below. 1. It can be daunting to walk into a conference room dominated by males. Some women feel like they have to go the extra mile to prove they belong there. They feel like their male counterparts are waiting for them to fail. 2. Women often times start their career & then decide to start a family. There is guilt about daycare. If they decide to be a stay at home mom, they may have to start over again in Corporate America. The emotional rollercoaster ride of deciding what is best can be exhausting. 3. Several women have experienced some level of sexual harassment in their career. According to the ladies, it is just not when you are in your 20's and 30's. It happens in your 40's and 50's too. 4. At some companies if you decline sexual advances, advancement opportunities decline. 5. Dismissiveness. One of these ladies has been called "Little Missy". Several of the ladies have been told not to get too far out of your lane. Most male peers are respectful but there are some in the Good Old Boy's club that think that anyone that does not look like them is inferior. Sad, but true. 6. If a woman gets promoted, some people will ask; "who did they sleep with?" It is incredibly insulting. 7. Some women feel pressure to conform and give up parts of their core identity. Some companies don't care about your kids & family. That caused some of these women to not put pictures up in their office or even talk about their kids. 8. Other women can sometimes be a bigger part of the problem than their male counterparts. One of the women told me that she would rather deal with a condescending man than a "catty" situation that resembles the movie Mean Girls. 9. Pay gaps. In some industries, women are paid less than their male counterparts for the same job. 10. Many women struggle with being the ideal employee, partner and parent and still keep everyone happy. Several women told me that most men who have climbed the ranks have stay at home spouses. Most women that climb the ranks don't have stay at home spouses, so much of the pressure is on them. Work, cleaning, getting the kids ready for school & homework. It is a lot of pressure. I hope this resonated with you. My company does a great job of putting the most qualified people into leadership positions. Many of them are women that I am proud to call peers and friends. #leadershipmatters #thetruth #women

If you don’t set boundaries, your burnout will. The further I progressed in executive leadership, the more I realized this: No one else will protect your time, energy, or well-being. Not your calendar. Not your team. Not your environment. Boundaries start with you, and they don’t just impact you. They shape the culture around you. If you’re emailing at midnight, someone’s watching. They’re waiting. They may feel pressure to respond. Because whether you say it or not, your behavior sets the tone. You can’t lead at your best if you’re constantly running on empty. Clear boundaries create space to recharge, to think strategically, and to operate with clarity, not just urgency. They protect your capacity to make sound decisions. They give you room to say no so your yeses are fully aligned. They help prevent emotional depletion, because even empathetic leaders need limits. Boundaries aren’t about working less. They’re about leading with intention with trust, focus, and sustainability. Where in your leadership could stronger boundaries help you show up at your best for yourself and your team? 💌 Last month, I wrote a new edition of my newsletter Click on the link in my bio or the comments to subscribe.