KEY THEMES FROM OUR INTERVIEWS
- 🤝 Inclusivity and Support: A culture where everyone feels respected, valued, and heard.
- 🚀 Opportunities for Growth: Significant career development and encouragement to take on new challenges.
- ⚖️ Work-Life Balance: Flexible working arrangements and supportive policies, including enhanced maternity leave.
- 🤩 Leadership and Role Models: Inspiring female leaders in senior positions.
- 💜 Commitment to Diversity: Equal pay, B Corp certification, and initiatives like Codebar to promote diversity in tech.
We are thrilled to announce that StoryStream has been named one of the UK’s Best Workplaces for Women™ 2024. This prestigious recognition highlights our ongoing commitment to creating a positive, inclusive, and supportive environment for all our employees, regardless of gender.
To understand what makes StoryStream a great place for women to work, we interviewed women from across the company, representing every area of the business – marketing, customer success, production, implementation, and sales. What stood out from these conversations was the common sentiment of inclusivity, respect, and support that runs throughout our workplace. Women at StoryStream feel valued and empowered, with their contributions recognised and their growth encouraged.
A CULTURE OF INCLUSIVITY AND SUPPORT
At StoryStream, we believe in creating a workplace where everyone can thrive. Our inclusive culture ensures that women are seen as equals, their opinions are valued, and their contributions are recognised. This positive environment is not just a policy but a lived experience across all levels of our organisation. Employees consistently highlighted how StoryStream’s culture makes them feel respected and appreciated, allowing them to perform at their best.
As Charlotte Arnold, our Senior Marketing Manager, shared, “Everyone gets on so well, everyone is very helpful, everyone is so lovely. It doesn’t matter whether you’re a man or a woman, everyone is well respected. It’s more like one big family as opposed to something very corporate.”
Hannah Cowley, Senior Implementation Manager, echoes this sentiment, noting that “StoryStream has an incredibly inclusive and supportive culture that ensures everyone feels valued and heard. We’ve got some remarkable women in senior leadership teams who serve as role models and advocates for gender equality.”
Zoe Coleman, Customer Success Manager, adds, “I think what’s also really powerful for the culture is I would never feel that gender is actively against equality.”
Niki Reiz, Product Designer, mentions, “I really like working here. Everyone is so helpful and friendly. I feel confident asking questions or asking for help.”
Supritha Konaje, Back End Developer, reflecting on her experience, said, “From the start StoryStream and my team have been very supportive. That’s how comfortable I guess StoryStream makes you here because you don’t feel like you just joined, it just gets you in and you just feel like you have been here forever.”
Supritha also added, “I would say I don’t feel any difference being the only woman [in some meetings] because I feel included in all the talks they have.”
SUPPORT AND RESPECT
We are committed to providing significant career growth opportunities for our female employees. StoryStream supports professional development and encourages women to take on leadership roles. Niki Reiz mentioned, “I never had any discrimination based on my gender. My ideas are always valued and respected, which makes me feel valued.”
Zoe shared, “We have a lot of open communication on slack channels [..] and that enforces a lovely open environment, there are some challenges we all face and everyone [at StoryStream] is like we’re in it together don’t worry. I think that culture is incredible. When we work, everyone is hands-on, really supportive, and really there for each other, which is a really nice experience to have throughout the day.”
Charlotte noted, “For a while, I was the only woman in the sales and marketing team, yet I feel listened to and valued regardless of gender. The team respect what I have to say and often take on board any feedback from the team, good or bad, which is a really positive culture. I think that everyone is given the opportunity to give their opinion, and that’s really valuable.”
Hannah adds, “I feel really supported by StoryStream. It’s allowed me to push myself a little bit more out of my comfort zone and challenge myself.”
BALANCING WORK AND LIFE
Understanding the importance of work-life balance, StoryStream offers flexible working arrangements and supportive policies, such as enhanced maternity leave and comprehensive healthcare provisions.
Zoe shared, “I really love the working environment at StoryStream. I think that there’s a really lovely balance of work and passion about what we do and the respect that everyone understands when the day is done. I think that balance is really hard to find in companies. But here you can really enjoy working and then celebrate your own life outside of work.”
Clover Kennard, Sales Director, when asked about her experience working for StoryStream around her pregnancy and telling the company, shared, “When I first got pregnant, I remember telling Alex our CEO and seeing the genuine excitement he had for my news. This was such a lovely reaction to have to the news I shared.”
Clover, when discussing her return to work after having a child and working a four-day-week, also noted that, “StoryStream enables me to have the work-life balance that I feel works for me personally, it gives me the time to spend time with my family but also the ability to have a really great career and StoryStream’s always been very supportive of that.”
Niki also appreciated the work-life balance, saying, “Working from home is a big thing for me, and the company offers this. Having this possibility is a really big plus.”
ROLE MODELS
The presence of female leaders in senior positions inspires women at StoryStream. Charlotte remarked, “I feel inspired by other women in our business. I really admire Emma in her position, going from the head of the auto team in Customer Success to now being the Head of Customer Success. I admire her work ethic and her stature, as well as how she challenges back.”
Hannah, who holds a senior role, mentioned, “Being part of a team where open dialogue, mutual respect to prioritise makes the work environment highly collaborative and rewarding.”
Clover is in a senior position at StoryStream and has recently been on maternity leave, from this interview, it is clear that her experience is one that is both encouraging and comforting to other women in the business who are passionate about career development and want to build a family. When asked about returning to work after her maternity leave, she shared, “I felt daunted about coming back to work, when you have a year off and you’re coming back and so much has changed in your personal life. StoryStream was amazing. They were so excited about me coming back, and everybody was really kind and they gave me space and time to get back into my work and offered me the support I needed to get back up to speed.”
When discussing changing positions at StoryStream from Head of the eCommerce Customer Success team to Sales Director, Clover shared, “StoryStream is really good at matching people with the things they’re passionate about and the skills they enjoy. I feel that when we have reviews and one-to-one meetings, they show that they care about you loving your work. I think it makes a lot of sense because if people are excited and passionate about what they’re doing, they will do a good job.”
COMMITMENT TO DIVERSITY AND EQUALITY
StoryStream’s dedication to diversity and equality is reflected in our policies and initiatives. We ensure equal pay, promote diversity through our B Corp certification, and encourage minorities into tech roles via partnerships with organisations like Codebar. Almost half of our workforce and nearly 50% of our line managers are women, showing our commitment to gender balance. Our enhanced maternity policy goes beyond statutory requirements, offering three months of full pay and a return-to-work bonus after six months, ensuring mothers are supported financially. We also have policies for breastfeeding and healthcare provision for the entire family.
Our CEO, Alex, supports and encourages diversity in his company, recognising its positive impact on StoryStream’s culture and environment. Together with our People and Operations Manager, Aaron Olive, they continuously work to improve our hiring processes and remove subconscious biases, creating an environment where everyone can succeed. Additionally, we provide internal training on diversity, equality, and inclusion best practices.
THE FUTURE
Our interviews with women across various departments at StoryStream revealed key themes of inclusivity, career growth, work-life balance, strong leadership, and a commitment to equality. These elements collectively create an environment where women feel valued, supported, and empowered to achieve their best. We are incredibly proud of this achievement and will continue to create a workplace where every individual can thrive and succeed. We look forward to building on this success and further enhancing our culture and employee satisfaction.
👉 Check out our Great Place to Work Awards here.
