Women still under-represented in senior management: report
Posted August 31, 2011 8:56 am.
This article is more than 5 years old.
VANCOUVER (NEWS1130) – Despite the progress women have made in society over the years, they are still sorely under-represented in senior management jobs in Canada. New research shows men are still twice as likely to hold a top executive position.
On Vancouver streets, one woman believes her company would support her in a climb to the top, yet she tells News1130 men hold most of the senior management jobs in her office. She’s not surprised by the Conference Board of Canada‘s findings.
“[It’s] tradition,” she says. “It’s been like that for a long time, and they may feel intimidated or threatened by what women can do.”
Another woman believes climbing the corporate ladder just may not be a priority. “It seems like nowadays, women can get just as high up if they want to, but other things come into play, like having kids. But a lot of women who don’t want to have kids, they’re pretty high up.”
Two years ago, just 26,000 of the more than eight million working women in this country held top management jobs. According to the research, in the 20 years leading up to 2009, the number of women in senior management has hardly changed in this country. The results aren’t much more encouraging in middle management.
The report identifies nine practices successful companies use to encourage women. They include setting up mentoring programs and ensuring female executives are properly supported.
