Why women mentoring women is essential for workplace success

THE importance of women in the workplace, not just because of the so-called softer skills they bring into an often testosterone-filled environment, but also because they nurture young talent, cannot be overstated.

- NICOLA MAWSON

Many studies cite the benefits of women mentoring other women. Others note that having more women in leadership brings diverse perspectives, improves decision-making, enhances organisational performance, and fosters a more inclusive environment.

As Tamra Veley, MD of Corporate Image, puts it, "mentorship between women in the workplace is not, nor should it ever be - about ticking a diversity box - it's about building capability, confidence, and continuity".

Dominique Rossouw, a social worker, has experienced this firsthand. She says women bosses "were able to guide me in terms of the way that they would do things as social workers and explain how they've experienced things through their career," she says.

Rossouw adds that her mentors provided tangible input rather than dictating. This is something she emulates, especially when real-life situations don't align with textbook examples.

"I like to share my successes, the mistakes that I've made, and what I could do differently in certain situations as opposed to just following a specific structure of rules or guidelines that we get taught in school," she says.

Veley notes that "when women support other women, especially across generations and career stages, they help remove the guesswork from navigating ambition in environments that may not always be designed with them in mind".