Stats show that the glass ceiling is there, as women are still in fewer executive roles than men. But it does seem that an important driver is the 'motherhood penalty'.
In a study by Enders Analysis in the UK, Women at Work 2014 | Dec 2014 | Enders Analysis they state that
"The workplace inflicts a stiff ‘motherhood penalty’ that produces a yawning gender pay gap for women in their 40s and 50s as men more readily gain access to managerial and executive positions, radiating from there to board positions, where Lord Davies’ initiative for FTSE companies has led some to endorse the merit of a diversity of directors on boards.
On the whole, however, employers often overlook the potential to optimise talent management practices to accommodate maternity and support the work-life balance of employees, prevent sexism and unequal pay, and offer women an equality of opportunity to accede to top jobs."
Considering the direction of progress in this area, it is not necessarily surprising that Millennials have the most egalitarian view, yet even they often push to more traditional roles once they start families.
And most recently was all the press on Marissa Mayer of Yahoo, who announced she would be having twins during a working 2 week maternity leave. The variety of responses and half-responses indicates the underlying tension that still remains as society comes to grips with what equality really means in practise.
As HBR wrote, Why Are We So Hard on Female CEOs?: "The unique challenges facing this group are made amply clear in a couple of recent books about two of them: Marissa Mayer, of Yahoo, and Mary Barra, of GM. Both ascended within decidedly male-dominated industries, and both took the controls of companies in crisis, reinforcing the belief that woman leaders often face a “glass cliff”—they get to run the place only when it’s about to fail."
Not only does Marissa have a tough, perhaps impossible, assignment, her actions are also challenging us all to think about how to satisfy the higher expectations of winning on both the work and family fronts.
Considering the direction of progress in this area, it is not necessarily surprising that Millennials have the most egalitarian view, yet even they often push to more traditional roles once they start families.
And most recently was all the press on Marissa Mayer of Yahoo, who announced she would be having twins during a working 2 week maternity leave. The variety of responses and half-responses indicates the underlying tension that still remains as society comes to grips with what equality really means in practise.
As HBR wrote, Why Are We So Hard on Female CEOs?: "The unique challenges facing this group are made amply clear in a couple of recent books about two of them: Marissa Mayer, of Yahoo, and Mary Barra, of GM. Both ascended within decidedly male-dominated industries, and both took the controls of companies in crisis, reinforcing the belief that woman leaders often face a “glass cliff”—they get to run the place only when it’s about to fail."
Not only does Marissa have a tough, perhaps impossible, assignment, her actions are also challenging us all to think about how to satisfy the higher expectations of winning on both the work and family fronts.
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