Annual Power Conference

2024
Harness Your Power

2023
Future Me

2022
Motivation: Getting your mojo back 

2021
Empowered for Transitions

2019
Next steps: Where do you want to go next?

2018
Women in the workplace: Breaking down gender stereotypes for career success

2017
Overcoming barriers: The next steps in your career

2016
Inaugural conference

Power Book Club

The Power Book Club launched in November 2021 and meets about every six weeks to discuss a book, film or TV series – different themes, fiction and non-fiction all welcome.

Our next meeting is on Thursday 26 June at 12pm. We will be discussing The Change by Kirsten Miller. 

Other texts include:

• Women Don't Owe You Pretty by Florence Given
• Invisible Women: Exposing Data Bias in a World Designed for Men by Caroline Criado Perez
• Difficult Women: A History of Feminism in 11 Fights by Helen Lewis
• More than a Woman by Caitlin Moran
• Equal: How we fix the gender pay gap by Carrie Gracie
• Manifesto: On Never Giving Up by Bernardine Evaristo
• Brit(ish): On Race, Identity and Belonging by Afua Hirsch

Rachel McDermott (r.l.mcdermott@lse.ac.uk) and Ellen Wilkinson (e.wilkinson@lse.ac.uk) co supports the LSE Power Book Club. 

LSE Power celebrated International Women’s Day 2023 by hosting a World Café event in the Shaw Library on Wednesday 8 March. Participants tackled important questions about the topic of equity through short presentations and informal roundtable conversations with scholars and other colleagues – all over some complimentary refreshments and nibbles. We heard inspiring talks from researchers in our LSE community – Dr Jasmine Virhia from The Inclusion Initiative and Dr Nina Roussille from the LSE Hub for Equal Representation where we debated:

• How could the future of work embrace equity?
• Who has the power to close the gender pay gap?

The World Café offered an engaging environment for sharing and learning, fostering collaborations, and expanding your network, and it was a great morning filled with powerful discussions on how we can #EmbraceEquity (the campaign theme of IWD 2023).

In October 2024, LSE’s EDI Team and LSE Powerhosted a unique pilot workshop on “Taking LSE Beyond Equality”.

The session will be facilitated by cultural change and individual growth initiative Beyond Equality, with a mission to engage men and boys, rethink masculinities, create gender equality, and prevent gender-based violence. 

This session is targeted at and prioritises male and non-binary members of our LSE community including students, academics and professional service staff, particularly colleagues with formal leadership responsibilities. However, it is open to anyone interested in fostering a more inclusive culture and environment at the School.

Hot Topics Café is for everyone at LSE regardless of age or gender and what is said in the café is strictly confidential - no menopause related subject is off the table. It’s an open discussion group so whether you need a little support, want to find out more, listen to others so you know you’re not on your own, or just let off steam about your hot flushes, then come along. 

Did you know?

• The UK workforce is ageing and women over 50 are by far the fastest-growing group of employees
• 63% of menopausal women say their working life has been negatively affected by their symptoms.
• 90% of women say that their workplace does not offer any help to menopausal women.

Menopause Cafés were started by Rachel Weisz in Perth to raise awareness about menopause and give an opportunity for those going through it, and those supporting them and living with them to talk about what sometimes feels like one of the last taboos. 

So what can you expect if you turn up to one of LSE Power’s Menopause Cafés?

A small lively group, who will talk about anything (and I mean anything - my father-in-law would be horrified). There are no rules other than respecting confidentiality, there are no speeches, no topic-based or directed discussions - if you want to talk about it, and can get a word in edgewise, and then we'll talk about it. You'll find out you're not alone, you'll find out what it might feel like for your mum, or your partner, or your friend. It doesn't matter if you're 20 or 80, whether you identify as female or not, if you're menopausal or not, if your menopause is fine or not so much, if you want to talk about it, or find out more, then come along and join in - we'd love to see you there.

3 top tips: how can managers support colleagues with the menopause?

• Flexible working arrangements - for example, women with disturbed sleep patterns may find they are more productive with a later start time. 
• Flexibility around the taking of breaks and attending relevant medical appointments. 
• Facilitating a more comfortable working environment, taking into account temperature and lighting, making desk fans easily available and considering if ventilation is sufficient or can be improved.

The LSE Menopause Toolkit can be found here, which provides menopause guidance, case studies, FAQs and more for staff and managers. The Menopause Resource Handbook also contains lots of useful information.

Sources: gov.uk and forthwithlife.co.uk