Women all over the country have been advised on the best approaches to career growth, health and wellness at a virtual conference organised by Stanbic IBTC Pension Manager.
The Group Chief Human Resources Officer, Interswitch, Mrs Tolulope Agiri; and the Chief Executive Officer, Carib Health Limited, Dr Sherese Ijewere, spoke on how women can attain career success at the first edition of the Ladies At The Table Empowerment Series (LATTES).
The ‘Balancing Career Success and Personal Wellness’ session, which was held on Thursday, was moderated by an award-winning radio show host, Ronke Giwa.
Agiri stated that many factors, including family and societal issues, complicate the lives of women.
According to her, women are judged by different rules when compared to men even when they are equally competent for certain roles.
She emphasised the need for women to have a strong support system in order to get ahead in their careers.
“What makes the lives of women complex is not just their lives but what is happening in the society. One of the major things that have been talked about is a support system,” the HR professional said.
She added, “That support system is critical, it could be people and technology.
“It is important to bring the men in your life into the conversation. The choice of a life partner in an important factor to consider for single women in order to excel in their careers.”
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Agiri advised women who are creating value in their places of works to make demands that will make their work easier.
“We need to start negotiating for ourselves. Find out how your employers can make your work easier. Women who aspire to be leaders should be ambitious than before; act like managers in any position you find yourself. Work in synergy with your employers to make things work.”
Ijewere, spoke on the topic ‘The Genius of the extraordinary Chromosome’, urging women to be intentional and attentive to what they eat and pay attention to the effect the food has on their body.
While advising women to live a healthy lifestyle, Ijewere said that “good nutrition is self-care because our relationship with food has the ability to impact every aspect of you, yourself and who you are to others”.
The consultant added, “Listen to your body, it is smarter than you”.
Ijewere cautioned ladies against creaming what they cannot eat, explaining that the body is sensitive.
“Whether you are caring for your skin, aging or you are treating a disease, you have to be intentional. No matter what age you are, seek the help of a health nutritionist,” she added.
“Do you read the ingredients before buying or using the product? Are you using healthy feminine pads or are you buying cancer?”
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The nutrition consultant advised ladies to be very careful of the products they use and even what they eat.
“You can make self-care a part of your meals by: loading your plate with fruits and vegetables, set an example for your household, use herbs and spices in your cooking, eat for your gut, increase your water intake and limit your intake of sugar. Include fruits and vegetables in your meal.
“As a woman, you are the pacesetter in the kitchen, your healthy lifestyle will encourage your household and enable them to benefit health-wise. Watch what you eat, and also exercise.”
The Executive Director – Business Development at Stanbic IBTC, Nike Bajomo, in her opening remarks, said due to the changing dynamics of the workplace, women are facing challenges, hence the need to learn new ways to adapt.
She noted that women’s empowerment is a priority at Stanbic IBTC, adding that participants will learn from other women how they scaled hurdles to reach the peak of their careers.
