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Greetings!
We're in the 2nd quarter already! April's GenderSmart® newsletter includes for your interest:
- A brief summary of studies researching why few women make it to the top of the corporate ladder
- Valuable GenderSmart Retention Tips
- Two quotes for your enjoyment and inspiration
Please let me know if you have any questions or would like further information.
Warm Regards,
Jane Sanders | |
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Why Few Women Make It To The Top!
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Studies Indicate Several Reasons:
...by Jane Sanders
Recent studies suggest that women sometimes pull themselves out of the race for top positions - but not for reasons some executives think.
Findings from research conducted by New-York based Catalyst and Hudson Critical Thinking (Chicago) suggest that the lack of women in senior management indicates barriers to their advancement, not less ambition. Women look ahead, see few women at the top, and lower their expectations. The longer they work in the business world, the more evident it becomes to them that women are held to different standards and rules. They see women above them in middle management not achieving their aspirations and figure the same will happen with them.
Compared to men, women have similar levels of ambition when they first begin their careers, and, once they reach senior management, women entertain the same desire for the top spots (board directors, corporate officers, CEO or equivalent). But the in-between levels, where most employees are, present the danger for losing talented women.
The corporate barriers include a lack of female role models, limited access to men's informal networks, and gender stereotyping (assumptions that women are less authoritative, decisive, managerial, competent, etc.).
Other barriers exist as well, consisting of work/life challenges. Women still have most of the caretaker responsibilities, with children and with elderly parents, and this often curtails their ability to maintain a consistent level of commitment to their work compared to men. So women lower their ambitions or leave to start their own business where they have control over their schedules, or to join a company that provides the flexibility and genuine advancement potential they desire.
(Source: Kristen B. Frasch, www.hreonline.com, 3/17/08)
If your company, like many, is experiencing attrition of women in mid-management levels, check out the GenderSmart Tips below for strategies to help increase the retention of this talented resource.
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GenderSmart Tips |
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Strategies to Retain Women
Here are a few programs and activities that many companies are implementing successfully to help retain female managers. Detailed tactics would depend upon your industry and specific company profile. As you read them, take inventory as to how many of these strategies are in play at your company. And these are just a few...
- Genuine and visible CEO commitment
- Linking executive bonuses to diversity and women's retention and advancement performance
- Meaningful work/life programs and flexibility
- Focused and comprehensive talent and pipeline development in/from all departments
- Executive coaching for high-potential women (influencing up, executive image, leadership confidence, etc.)
- Strategic mentoring programs
- Gender difference training for all managers, male and female, on how to communicate with, manage and work effectively with each other
- Strong employee resource groups
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Quote(s) Of The Day |
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"He who knows only his side of the case, knows little of that."
John Stuart Mill, British philosopher, political economist, civil servant and Member of Parliament
And, as requested by readers, an equine-related quote:
"A horse gallops with its lungs, perseveres with its heart, and wins with its character."
Federico Tesio, successful breeder of Thoroughbred horses |
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You are welcome to reprint any part of this newsletter as long as
you include "By Jane Sanders, GenderSmart® Solutions, 877-343-2150, http://www.janesanders.com."
Contact Information
Phone: 310-589-2212 Toll-Free: 877-343-2150
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