This year marks Workman’s third year supporting The Circle Academy, run by The Circle Partnership. Three England-based employees and one Scotland-based employee are taking part in the 2026/2027 programme. – they were nominated by the people around them, which reflects the kind of culture we are building here at the firm – one where we invest in each other.
The Circle Academy is a 12-month development programme for mid-level female talent – the stage where businesses face the greatest retention challenges. It combines three days of in-person leadership training, a thought leadership summit in central London, one-to-one mentoring with senior female industry leaders, and access to a cross-sector professional network. Everything is designed around the specific barriers women face in progressing at work: lack of role models, limited access to networks and critical experiences, and self-belief that hasn’t yet caught up with their ability.
Our mentors
Partners Kirsty McKenna, Sophie Campbell and Sasha Lees are all members of The Circle Academy, with Kirsty & Sophie participating as mentors this year and Sasha actively supporting the programme.
“The Circle Academy brings together women who are already doing great work – and helps them see it too. As a mentor, I get as much from it as I give. For Workman, being part of this programme for the third-year running reflects something we genuinely believe: that investing in people at this stage of their careers isn’t just the right thing to do, it’s how we build the kind of firm we want to be.”
Kirsty McKenna Partner
Our mentees
Hayley Macphie, Senior Surveyor in our Property Management team, based in the Glasgow office. Hayley joined Workman 16 years ago in a reception role, building a career in property management from the ground up. She is part of the first-ever Scotland cohort – a milestone for the programme.
Katie Frak, Senior Associate in our Property Management team, based in the Swindon office. She has been with the firm for over 12 years, and her values are aligned with exactly what our culture aspires to be.
Georgina Brown, Associate in our Building Consultancy team, based in the Birmingham office. She joined us as an apprentice and has gone on to build a strong reputation within the firm.
Charlotte Gaynor, Marketing Manager based in the London office. She has been with the firm for over two years, is well regarded across the firm, and brings energy and commitment to everything she does.
For each of them, the programme offers structured leadership development, access to mentors who have navigated the same challenges, and a network of peers who are equally committed to going further.
Retention of talented women at the mid-career stage is a real challenge across professional services, with research by Grant Thornton showing that 66% said they want to progress into more senior roles, but one in four felt there was no opportunity to do so with their current employer. Supporting The Circle Academy is part of our broader commitment to creating genuine progression routes for everyone – wherever they started, and whichever path they’ve taken.
