Placing female leaders at the heart of business operations

Visiting Angels ensures women are given fair and equal opportunities to become leaders and to contribute to the franchise’s success

Working in the social care sector is a role that, traditionally, is considered a “female” profession. And while that is true to a certain extent, it is still men that heavily dominate senior leadership positions within care organisations. It is vital for more women to be placed at the forefront of leadership positions, especially in industries where women are given the platform to flourish. In-home care provider, Visiting Angels, is one such franchise that has ensured women are given fair and equal opportunities to become leaders and to contribute to a franchise’s success.

It is the key common characteristics that women in these positions possess that are synonymous with best practices in both the social care sector and in building a successful brand. These include care, empathy and cooperation. In fact, 90 per cent of employers that are inclusive and use the best of what women can bring to an organisation have said that they have brought in higher skill levels, enhanced the business’s reputation and improved overall staff morale.

Kya Safari (pictured), managing director of Visiting Angels East Nottinghamshire, came to the United Kingdom from Gambia 20 years ago and has since used her core beliefs and vast experience in the care sector to build a successful business in the industry. Kya has always been ambitious. Pairing her values with her exceptional performance saw her celebrating her position as a finalist in Visiting Angels’ Newcomer of the Year award within just a year of launching her new business.

“It’s vital that we take regular opportunities to reflect, appreciate, value and respect the significant role that women play in society,” said Kya. “I’m incredibly proud of what I do in my community as a leader and a representative of the social care sector. Every day, millions of women from all walks of life rise above impossible challenges with grace, resilience and pride. Being in this position with a franchise like Visiting Angels shows how important it is for more women to take up leadership positions and to show the value they can bring in an industry that, although well represented in junior roles, is still male-dominated in senior management positions.”

Clearly showing you are willing to invest in people’s development, whether they choose to stay in a carer’s role or move up to management, gives confidence in the employer. For this reason, it is important that companies have equal opportunities for professional development throughout the whole business structure. Magdalena Zieba, the registered care manager of Visiting Angels West and South London, provided exceptional care to those in need throughout the pandemic and is proud to represent a brand whose ethos aligns with her own values. Her team equally share these values, which is how they have become a trusted, go-to care provider in the area.

“Having been working in the healthcare industry for nearly eight years, I was relieved to find a company whose ethos is in line with my values,” she said. “Visiting Angels understands how important it is to show our appreciation to our carers so that they feel valued and supported on a daily basis. We’re proud to say that the first carer that we ever employed is still working with us and has the same client as the day she started. We’ve put a lot of effort into creating an outstanding team of carers who represent our values daily, and this shows in the quality of care that they provide. We are only at the beginning of our journey, but Visiting Angels’ way of working has already proven to be unique and in the opinion of our carers, the best.”

Visiting Angels’ carer-centric approach sets it apart from other companies in the in-home care sector. Carers working for Visiting Angels feel valued and respected for their commitment. None of this could be possible however without Visiting Angels’ exceptional area development team, which is also made up of two female veterans of the healthcare industry who were given the opportunity to work their way up in the business towards becoming key figures in the brand’s success.

Bella Hallam is Visiting Angels’ area development manager in the south. She has experienced the care sector from various positions of seniority and believes Visiting Angels’ progressive approach to how care should be both presented and received in the 21st century is setting the example in an industry considered to be in need of reform.

“I started working in care when I was 18 as a caregiver with a local authority provider. After gaining a lot of experience in various capacities, I came to a point where overseeing the launches of care providers in areas worked perfectly for me. This is where I came across Visiting Angels, which ticked every box. It’s great to have been given a platform in my role to use my experience and knowledge of care while also supporting people in launching their own businesses. With this experience, I make sure we recruit the right people. In this role, I’m given the freedom to give tailored support to franchisees depending on their strengths which, in turn, helps them to grow their business whilst maintaining exceptional standards for the Visiting Angels brand,” said Bella.