The opinion of 129 buy-side heads of trading on
cultivating greater
buy-side gender diversity
The opinion of 129 buy-side heads of trading and senior
traders about how to cultivate greater gender diversity at
the buy-side trading desk
Anita Karppi, MD, K&K Global Consulting
As already discussed at the
7 th annual ATF Global Summit
on the 6 th and 7 th February
in London, K&KGC under
took the responsibility to
investigate how the buy-side
community could cultivate
greater gender diversity at
the buy-side trading desk.
Following up this task, we
discussed the issue at the
recent Alpha Trader Forum
(ATF) debates in Stockholm,
Paris, Frankfurt and London
and it was enlightening to
see the number of men and
women who feel strongly
about this issue, with some
explaining their individual
efforts to ensure there is
no bias in their recruitment
efforts and are recruiting
talent of both genders from
a more diverse pool. The
research also highlighted
the important pre-requisites
enabling such activities.
Here is a graph showing an
overview of opinions from
129 buy-side heads of trading
and senior traders across
regions and asset classes:
As we discussed already at the 7 th ATF Global Summit 6 – 7 February in London,
K&KGC was taking on the responsibility to investigate how the buy-side community
could cultivate greater gender diversity at the buy-side trading desk. Following up
this task, we discussed the issue at the Alpha Trader Forum (ATF) debates in
Stockholm, Paris, Frankfurt and London and it was touching to experience how
much both men and women really care and are already making individual efforts to
ensure that there is no bias in their recruitment efforts and subsequently are already
recruiting talent
both
genders.
research to
highlighted
as well as
Diversity:
What of do
you
think The
is needed
attract both
and activities
retain more
important pre-requisites
enabling
such
activities.
gender diversity in our business?
Diversity: What do you think is needed to attract
and retain more gender diversity in our business?
is balance
a graph
More Here
work/life
– e.g. showing
more flexible an
hours, overview
working from of opinions from 129 buy-side heads of trading
and senior
traders
and asset classes:
home, personal
breaks across
during the regions
day.
Possibilities to work from home and more flexible working hours
Shorter
market from
hours (e.g.
9:30am start
rather than 8am)
We
know
previous
discussions
that this is not possible in all firms to work from
home due to compliance and system limitation concerns but other firms are seriously
implementing
for staff to
Attract
the
Attract
younger generation the
with a possibility
more relaxed environment
to work from home which makes it more
attractive
to Amazon
work and
at other
their
firm and
compete
vs. Google,
considered
“cool” the buy-side said that the additional
empowerment
placed a feeling of responsibility to work harder in return. The
workplaces
possibility to work from home and flexible working hours is not a requirement for
women
but leave
enables
for both men and women to share family
Shared paterental
with the the
father possibility
Scandinavian style
responsibilities such as dropping and picking up their children from school or day
care. Regardless if this incentive was given to a man or woman, we in the finance
Back-up staff
to enable
more flexible working
industry could
make
a statement
leading the way for other industries to do the
hours/maternity/paternity
leave for more flexible hours that Monday to Friday
same. The important
pre-requisites
would of course be that trading desks need sufficient staffing arrangements with
processes
staff
to cover
when
individuals
are not working. Such staffing
Broadening
the search and
pool for
job candidates
to ensure
there
is
arrangements no
should
bias. be considered as part of the firm’s contingency plans to
permit sickness leave, holidays and parental leave anyway. Many asset
management firms still do not have such staffing contingency plans and we get to
Reviewing the listed requirements for the open jobs to make
hear
horror stories of how trading staff are forced to work and de-subscribe to legally
sure they are really necessary and there is no bias.
required working conditions.
Reaching out to a wider range of universities for temporary job
Shorter market hours
experience in junior roles to educate about the "good side" of
finance industry. pertinent within equities trading but trading hours in other
This topic is the
particularly
asset classes would potentially be impacted if European exchanges shortened their
hours.
has
exchange
open hours and both bank sponsors as well
An annual Europe
day where you
can the
invite longest
daughters to
work day.
as equity trading buy-side has firmly made a statement that it is unnecessary to keep
the overlap with three Asian markets. The peak in equity trading in the morning
would still remain if the exchanges opened later and it would make a significant
Other
impact in the work life balance for traders and make the asset management and
0%
copyright: K&K Global Consulting Ltd. 2019
34
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20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
Responses
Summer 2019