In February 2021 as part of a virtual recruiting event, Jill Zucker, Isabel Huber, Susanne Maurenbrecher, Martina Yanni & Marie Christine Padberg shared their personal dual career couples’ stories and how they receive support in their individual journey by McKinsey.
McKinsey is committed to improving the representation of women in leadership positions within the firm. We understand that when both partners in a relationship have demanding jobs, striking the right balance between work and personal life can be a challenge. During our Women in Dual Career Couples event in February 2021, hosted by our European offices, we discussed some of the challenges women in dual career couples face, and ways in which McKinsey addresses the need for firm members to feel more supported. Individuals who attended were welcome to have their significant others join the event as well.
The event kicked off with a keynote from Jill Zucker, senior partner in New York, who founded McKinsey’s Dual Career Program when she was personally confronted with balancing a career and a family.
Jill has published several research articles on that topic, such as “How dual-career couples find fulfilment at work” in 2019. With McKinsey’s Dual Career Program firm members receive individual support and flexibility they need to make their dual career couple model working and successful.
Afterwards our colleagues Isabel Huber (partner), Susanne Maurenbrecher (expert associate partner), Martina Yanni (engagement manager) and Marie Christine Padberg (director of recruiting) shared more about their personal stories and success factors.
Here are some of our colleagues’ reflections:
“My husband and I have been a dual career couple for the last ten years. We continuously work on finding the best model for ourselves and our 10-year-old daughter. I am grateful McKinsey offers flexibility and different operating models to shape what works best for my family. I am happy I can lead our clients to success as an engagement manager for our Marketing & Sales practice and be a mom at the same time.”
“I have been with the firm for over ten years and across my tenure, I have been off for three maternity leaves. My husband runs a leading independent multi-family office in Germany. While he is trying to stay on top of a massive growth trajectory, I help my clients to navigate the disruptive market forces of the banking industry of today. In my experience McKinsey is a great place for women in a dual career couple; we offer space to grow but also the flexibility to adjust the personal operating model at times, when the situation might require it.”
“I have experienced a wide range of work-lives as part of a dual career couple. Beginning with consulting, moving to a large corporation, then to a non-profit and then back to consulting when I joined McKinsey. I have four children and my wife is in private practice as a psychologist. McKinsey is incredibly supportive of dual career couples and of diverse journeys and paths. I think that is what distinguishes this firm for members of a dual career couple, we really understand the complexities of competing priorities and the importance of family according to every definition as part of a healthy life ecosystem.”
“Within McKinsey, we have a network of colleagues at all tenures who work flexible part-time models. With the support of the firm, I have been able to find a good operating model for my dual career household. I log off around lunch time two afternoons per week so I can pick up my son from kindergarten and spend uninterrupted quality time with him. Having these two days per week set aside allows me to build a schedule that works for both my clients and my family.”
If you want to learn more about our open roles, please visit our career website or contact us at women_in_dual_career_couples@mckinsey.com.