Addressing culture, not confidence, is key to tackling representation
Hannah Barlow, co-founder of BB Partners, delivers inaugural lecture for the Socially Mobile Alumni community
Hannah Barlow, co-founder of BB Partners, identified capital, connectivity, and culture as significant barriers for underrepresented groups in the UK. Despite political initiatives focused on levelling up, she said that social mobility in the UK remains stagnant and that meritocracy is a distant goal.
"Social immobility is deeply rooted within our society," stated Hannah. “Data supports this: nearly one-third of individuals with professional family backgrounds secure elite occupations. In contrast, only 10 percent from working-class backgrounds achieve the same.”
Delivering the inaugural Socially Mobile Alumni lecture, Hannah highlighted culture as a pivotal area to address when considering diversity.
"It's a misconception to think confidence is the primary enabler of social mobility. After all, confident individuals exist in every walk of life. The key is understanding the unwritten rules of business and societal norms. This knowledge is a far more powerful catalyst for those from underrepresented backgrounds," she said.
Hannah spoke about the unwritten rules that dictate business behaviour. These can range from mastering pitches and business presentations, to negotiating salary rises, and from making professional introductions to even understanding workplace attire.
Understanding these implicit norms, which codify cultural nuances in the business world, unlock progression for people from underrepresented backgrounds, said Hannah.
Sharing her personal journey, Hannah recounted how an aspirational mother and a passion for sports have opened doors throughout her education and professional life. After serving as a Labour Councillor and working in public affairs at Portland, a leading strategic communications consultancy, she co-founded BB Partners with Gosia Brzezinska.
BB Partners is an advisory for changemakers. It works with individuals and organisations to tackle public policy challenges and seize opportunities through communications, campaigns and partnerships. The consultancy supports social mobility through a flexible programme of workplace arrangements.
Socially Mobile delivers management training in public relations to practitioners from lower socio-economic backgrounds, as well as under-represented and under-served groups including ethnic minority practitioners, the LGBTQ+ community, women returners and those with disabilities. The alumni lecture takes place once a term for graduates of the programme.
