Home » Knowledge Hub » Equality, Diversity and Inclusion » Top jobs still out of reach for many women
Top jobs still out of reach for many women
08 March 2020 Equality, Diversity and Inclusion
This International Women’s Day we celebrate the achievements of women, but research from City & Guilds Group – which is based on findings from labour market economists Emsi and a poll of 5,000 working age people in the UK – shows women continue to face a number of barriers to climbing the career ladder.
Alongside battling gender pay gaps and juggling primary care-giving responsibilities, the report found nearly a fifth of women faced barriers to securing better jobs as they are unable to work the hours required.
Women are also more likely than men to hold no management responsibilities. (49% vs 39%).
Kirstie Donnelly, CEO at City & Guilds Group, commented: “While we have certainly made strides in levelling the playing field for gender equality, there is still a long way to go to ensure true equality in the workplace as women are still locked out of many top jobs.
“So many women are being denied valuable opportunities to upskill or progress, worryingly driven by factors such as part-time contracts and care requirements. We urgently need to see more employers adopt flexible working practices and take a fairer approach to training and development to increase the opportunities for women to rightly move up the career ladder and help fill skills gaps and drive up productivity in doing so.”
Women are more than twice as likely to work part-time than their male peers (26% vs 12%), and part-time workers are less likely to receive workplace training than full-time employees (62% vs 72%).
Emma Stewart, MBE, CEO of flexible working specialists Timewise commented: “Choosing to work flexibly or part- time should not mean choosing to compromise on career opportunities.
“The vast majority of the workforce now want flexible working – both women and men. For employers to maximise on talent they need to both unlock more quality roles to flexible and part-time structures. And also, to invest in training and development for all their people, regardless of working pattern.”