Investing in Workplace Flexibility

This International Women’s Day, UN Women’s 2024 theme “Invest in Women: Accelerate Progress” serves as a powerful reminder that true progress demands more than words – it requires tangible investment in empowering women professionals. 

At Insocius, we’ve made such an investment through our model centered on enabling work-life integration and flexibility, especially for women. As founder Caroline Stern shares:

“When I founded Insocius, I saw countless skilled and experienced women forced to take a backseat or opt-out entirely from their careers as a result of lack of flexible and part-time opportunities. Our biotech and pharma customers were missing out on their brilliant minds simply because the traditional model demanded that these women were ‘always on.’ As a working mother myself, I knew how hard this was – and what the cost was for growing families. Yet, I simply couldn’t accept the premise that having a career meant I had to walk away from the areas of my life that I believed ultimately made me a more rounded professional.” 

Caroline upended that belief and pioneered a new way of working at Insocius. “From day one, our business model has centered on enabling everyone in our team to integrate their career alongside other priorities. We actively encourage our collaborators to have a ‘life portfolio’ and find ways to structure how we work so individuals are not asked to sacrifice their life goals and ambitions.” 

This flexible approach backed by a culture of trust has allowed Insocius to build an exceptional team with women representing 50% of the leadership positions. However, the real impact has been in the innovative solutions, creative ideas and remarkable results delivered by empowering women to merge career with family, personal passions and other callings – without compromise. 

“This culture of work-life integration allows us to attract and retain remarkable talent who deliver outstanding results for our clients,” Caroline says. “This demands trust and a lot of flexibility but that’s the culture we’ve built and are known for today.” 

Insocius Client Services Director, Louise Asbury shares her experience: “On a day devoted to celebrating the achievements of women and seeking gender equality, it’s so important to me to add my voice. I know that I do that as a woman in one of the most fortunate positions – someone who has found a stimulating, challenging, rewarding role in which my skills and contributions are truly valued. I continue to learn and be challenged, encouraged to speak up and listened to as an equal. All while working part-time, 90% from home in a pattern I’ve shaped to suit my life.” 

“I’ve been part of the Insocius team for over eight years. When I returned from my first maternity leave, I was entrusted with a lead role on a major client project in a new industry area for me. After my second leave, I rejoined our newly formed Leadership Team. Insocius has continually invested in my growth, most recently supporting my executive coaching certification.” 

“I know I’m able to make this contribution because of the investment made in me by incredible women leaders like Caroline who are committed to creating an environment where other women can shine. As I build my career, that’s something I will always pay forward – doing what I can to create the space where women can deliver their full potential.” 

Insocius collaborator, Kim Lee echoes this sentiment: “After moving from London and finishing my maternity leave, finding a rewarding yet flexible role was challenging. I’m so grateful to have finally found that perfect balance at Insocius. Right from the start, their flexible remote work model has empowered me to thrive as both a professional and a parent. It allows me to structure my work week in a way that I can be present for my family while diving into the substantive, innovative projects I’m passionate about.” 

On this International Women’s Day, the call to #InvestInWomen is a mandate to actively fund and create paths for women to lead in all spheres. At Insocius, we’ve invested in that vision through flexibility – unleashing our team’s full potential. 

Interested in learning more about joining a company investing in women’s careers and lives?

Visit insocius.com/join-us to learn more.