They say it’s a man's world - Well not at Pulse Part 2

I guess the reason I chose to focus my Pulse blog post on working in an all female office, is because I'm surrounded by woman in work who possess and utilise the qualities to run a successful business and they do. The media on the other hand, seems to be painting a different picture. Most relevant to Pulse, is the debate on Grid Girls, Walk on Girls, Lead in Girls and Hostesses roles in sport and at charity events and whether they should be banned.

At Pulse, our PR and Hospitality Models work with a variety of big brands, becoming the face of their corporate/VIP hospitality and promotional activity. Our models (both male and female) are booked, not only because they look great but because of their personalities and customer service skills that bring brands to life. Our models love the work they do and take pride in doing an excellent job. The money they make is often used to subsidise their university education or other endeavours. 

Pulse certainly isn’t short of intelligent, determined and attractive Models and  Promo Models (PR models). Emma D, recently completed her masters in Politics. Leah, Architect super star, Eleanor; Trainee Doctor and Sammy M, our very own solicitor. And these are just the ones I can recall off the top of my head. I’m also not overlooking the PR Models that choose to work in hostessing, promotional and event work full time. They love the role, flexibility and buzz of the role. 

It would be wrong to view these woman when they are in a hostess role, looking glamorous and emphasising their beauty as one dimensional, passive and unintelligent. They have chosen to accept a job based on their beauty and personality.

Is it wrong to utilise their looks to work in a role that centres on this? It’s a skill to interact and engage with a variety of people from all walks of life . Small talk may seem trivial but it’s an art and making people feel welcome with a nice smile and a little chat doesn’t come naturally to everyone. It’s a skill and a big part of being a good PR Model, this shouldn’t be overlooked because someone has a pretty face too. 

It seems bizarre to me that jobs similar to the ones our Pulse models love are being taken away from woman who choose the roles and love what they do. 

Surely, in the arena of sport, there can be space for more than one type of woman. For those who possess the skills to compete either at an amateur or professional level, then a climate should be created and boundaries removed for them to excel.  The and given playing field should be equal to their male counterparts. For those that choose to work alongside a sport, earning an income in a hostess or promotional capacity, then that should be available too. The decision and option, should lie with the individual person.

I can’t help but feel that due to the actions of a handful of men, (that can’t act in a decent and respectful way) woman are having their choice of work taken away from them. Surely, dealing with the problem (unacceptable behaviour by a small amount of men) would have been a fairer response and less of a knee jerk reaction by those who have decided to remove the positions. I also wonder if the decision to remove the positions was made by a group or board of mainly men?

As an agency, reports of inappropriate comments and behaviour towards our models are rare. On the times that they occur, our response is clear. It is unacceptable and will not be tolerated. The client to which the model is booked for is informed, the model is encouraged to speak to a Pulse account manager and a formal  apology is issued by the client. Each model is encouraged to report any situation that they feel uncomfortable with. The person who acts in an unacceptable manner is removed from the setting and will not be allowed back in future. 

Gender equality is quite rightly at the forefront of national debate. In particular, equal pay for men and woman. It seems a contradiction that in the midst of this equal pay storm, job opportunities for woman to work and earn in jobs they love, have been taken away. 

Why not focus energy and attention on bridging the pay gap, keeping job choice open to both male and females and respect that there is more to people than the particular job they are performing on that day?