Here’s what the WOOP (Women of OpenPayd) network has been up to

When WOOP was established back in 2023 it had a clear mission statement: provide a nurturing environment where every woman can develop her skills and self-confidence. So what have we done to provide that environment?

 We built our WOOP sessions around three core pillars:

1. Building and Strengthening Internal Networks – bringing us together through knowledge sharing, empowering one another through education, and fostering meaningful relationships.
2. Leveraging External Networks and Partnerships – connecting women in financial services and related fields to expand our influence and partnerships.
3. Developing Skills and Knowledge – supporting both our personal and professional growth.

 We kicked off with six sessions on topics such as: Empowering Yourself and Your Career; sharing experiences on past influences that positively impacted our careers, Cultivating Executive Presence, and Discovering the Power of Voice to enhance our communication effectiveness.

 We then decided to build on these foundations and shifted our focus towards Personal Branding. This began with a session celebrating International Women’s Day, where we hosted a panel for our internal female audience to share career-defining moments, reflect on our unique strengths, and recognise our superpowers.

 Later that year, we partnered with the Women in Business and Finance Network for a session on How to Make an Impact in Any Environment, helping us further explore effective communication and the tools needed to be heard in the workplace.

 Most recently, we welcomed autumn with a session on Building Resilience. This focused on self-care, grit, and the growth mindset, equipping us with strategies to navigate challenges in both our personal and professional lives. We chose this topic as we recognised that self-awareness and resilience can be invaluable in managing not just your career, but life as a whole.

Beyond the events

 We are incredibly proud of our efforts to support the growth of all our colleagues. OpenPayders have the opportunity to use generous training allowance for external training and professional development – available to all employees of course, not just the WOOP network! We’ll be talking about this more in an upcoming blog. 

 We are also pleased to see the progress of our female colleagues within the organisation, with 12% of our women being promoted into senior roles over the past 18 months.

 Our overall statistics speak volumes, with 50% of leadership roles held by women, and a gender split of 48% women to 52% men – substantially higher than the average for UK fintech of 28% women to 72% men. 

These achievements reflect our unwavering commitment to fostering an inclusive and supportive workplace, where everyone has opportunities for growth and advancement. We’re proud to set a new standard within the fintech industry and look forward to building on this progress in the years to come.