ClearEdge Launches Women’s Leadership Development Community for the Recruiting and Workforce Solutions Industry

ClearEdge Rising cultivates future-ready leaders determined to shape their organizations

ClearEdge continues its expansion of services for the recruiting and workforce solutions industry by launching ClearEdge Rising, a career growth community that supports and advances women. ClearEdge Rising helps recruiting and workforce solutions companies nurture an expanding contingent of women to rise within and lead their organizations.

“As a CEO who has risen through the ranks, I can say first-hand that our industry needs a program like ClearEdge Rising to support the next generation of female leaders, and quite frankly, those of us in executive roles who aspire to keep learning and growing”

Research shows the percentage of women in leadership roles decreases as the size of the staffing firm increases. While women comprise a median 66% of staffing firm internal staff, they only hold 18% of CEO/owner positions at large staffing firms. This lack of diversity is a roadblock to organizational success. Companies with gender diverse leadership teams and boards consistently outperform those with less diversity in terms of profitability and innovation. In addition, companies with higher levels of gender diversity, and policies and practices that focus on gender diversity, are linked to lower levels of employee turnover.

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“From our founding, ClearEdge has been committed to rising up women leaders at all levels,” said ClearEdge CEO and founder Leslie Vickrey. “We’re at an interesting time in our industry where organizations are coming together to drive awareness and make an impact. However, the World Economic Forum still says it will take 136 years to close the gender gap. I have a hard time believing there isn’t something we can do to decrease the gap now. ClearEdge Rising is hoping to be the catalyst for change.”

Through high-impact leadership programming and expertly facilitated networking opportunities, members receive the tools and inclusive community needed to advance and thrive as a leader. ClearEdge Rising’s leadership development methodology is rooted in neuroscience, performance psychology, and behavioral psychology to ensure members increase leadership skills, broaden their professional network, and expand their knowledge in concrete and actionable ways.

This new division is spearheaded by Ashley Andersen, a certified executive coach and Senior Vice President at ClearEdge. As a former social worker, there is clear alignment between Andersen’s passions and skills and the mission of ClearEdge Rising. “I care about creating really meaningful and long lasting growth opportunities for leaders. It doesn’t matter if you’re a new or emerging leader, or you’ve been in your role for decades, we all need support and opportunities to grow,” said Andersen.

“As a CEO who has risen through the ranks, I can say first-hand that our industry needs a program like ClearEdge Rising to support the next generation of female leaders, and quite frankly, those of us in executive roles who aspire to keep learning and growing,” said Stacey Lane, CEO at Staffmark Group and General Manager at Indeed Flex US. “I’m personally excited to see so much momentum in the recruiting industry around the importance of equity and investing in our future. ClearEdge Rising is exactly the type of program we need to move the needle.”

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ClearEdge Rising guides and educates members through a year-long experience consisting of monthly cohort sessions, weekly touchpoints, quarterly workshops and events featuring industry experts, and access to a wealth of guides and other resources. Members are purposefully matched to an intimate cohort of women who are similar in career achievements and ambitions. Each cohort has a dedicated facilitator who leads discussions and facilitates meaningful engagement. Additionally, corporate leaders who purchase memberships for others in their company can attend quarterly forums to learn, on a high level, about topics being covered in cohorts, ways to support member growth, and systemic approaches to achieving gender parity.

“As companies prepare for the future, they need to think about building strong leadership pipelines of women to ensure equitable representation down the road,” said ClearEdge President Ericka Hyson. “Women have made significant progress in terms of representation at the C-Suite and board level, but bias and discrimination still exist. With a collective 40+ years of experience growing and innovating across the staffing, recruiting, and HR technology industries, ClearEdge is uniquely positioned to drive change and elevate more women into leadership.”

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