Stanbic IBTC Pension Managers, a subsidiary of Stanbic IBTC Holdings PLC, recently held a webinar aimed at encouraging women empowerment and development in Nigeria.

The virtual event tagged “Ladies At the Table Empowerment Series” (LATTES) was designed to advance and equip women with the requisite information required to have successful businesses, careers, relationships and homes.

The inaugural LATTES session themed: ‘Balancing Career Success, and Personal Wellness’ featured a seasoned Human Resources professional and a wellness expert who shared tips on work-life balance and healthy living, respectively.

Speaking on the  reason  behind the event, Nike Bajomo, Executive Director, Business Development, Stanbic IBTC Pension Managers, stated that Stanbic IBTC has always been at the forefront of women empowerment.

She said: “We believe that there are opportunities for every woman to thrive and blossom, and as such, we consistently create avenues to help women make the most of these opportunities. At Stanbic IBTC, empowering women remains a core priority for us.

“The pandemic particularly impacted women as many of us had to balance our natural roles as nurturers with showing up every day at our jobs with our A-game intact while dealing with all the challenges that came with the new normal. We, therefore, are hoping that LATTES will be an avenue to help women bounce back quicker and continue to thrive well after the pandemic is completely behind us,” Bajomo added.

The event featured Tolulope Agiri, Group Chief Human Resources Officer, Interswitch and Sherese Ijewere, Founder, Carib Health Limited. The speakers shared insights and experiences with participants on how women can excel in every chosen field while incorporating work-life synergy and wellness. 

Agiri said: “Many women often find it difficult to create time for themselves. They are constantly juggling career paths and playing the role of caregivers, even in difficult times. Sighting the pandemic as an example, Tolulope explained how women struggled to keep both the home front and their jobs. She said this affected many women who could barely take care of themselves and still had to be there for their families and show up at work.

“It is of paramount importance to set aside time for family and dedicate a portion of that time for self-care and personal development. While no one has it all, a strong support system that ensures women thrive at home and work cannot be overemphasised. A support system is critical to your growth and mental wellness as it helps create work-life balance,” she said. 

Agiri advised women who are creating value in their workplaces to make demands that will make their jobs easier. She urged women who aspire to be leaders to work synergistically with their employers to make work-life balance a reality.

Speaking on how women can incorporate wellness into their day-to-day lives, Sherese Ijewere, said “The little steps you take to ensure you are healthy and well go a long way to helping you succeed in life. Self-care should not be underestimated because any imbalance leads to the development of various ailments. .”

She urged women to take care of themselves so they can take care of others. She advised women to imbibe a deliberate practice of self-care, which would lead to higher productivity levels and reduce fatigue.

Ibiyemi Mezu, Executive Director, Business Development, Stanbic IBTC, commended  the initiative and reiterated Stanbic IBTC’s commitment to creating initiatives such as this to help women harness the genius in them at all times, irrespective of the field they operate in.