Armonk-based IBM this morning revealed in a new study of global businesses that 70% have not made gender equity a top priority.
IBM’s study is a follow-up to one done in 2019. While gender equity has continued be a subject for frequent and open discussion, the study found that the leadership pipeline for women in business may actually be shrinking.
Fewer women surveyed hold senior vice president, vice president, director and manager roles in 2021 than they did in 2019.
The study was done by IBM”™s Institute for Business Value and is titled “Women, leadership, and missed opportunities.”
The study found that some fatigue and growing pessimism is setting in among company employees regarding efforts to address gender equity. Only 62% of women surveyed (down 9% from 2019) and 60% of men surveyed (down 7% from 2019) expected their organization would significantly improve gender equity over the next five years.
Bridget van Kralingen, senior vice president, global markets, IBM and senior executive sponsor of the IBM Women’s Community said, “The data show that many women leaders are experiencing challenges at this moment. If these issues are not addressed more deeply than in prior years, there is a risk of progress backsliding further. We should seize creative solutions now and redouble our efforts to make meaningful, lasting change that can help all women reach their full potential.”
According to the study, just because more organizations may be instituting additional programs to help improve gender equity inclusion doesn”™t necessarily mean there has been progress.
The study suggests that mindsets and cultures have not changed enough. For example, it found that compared with 2019, fewer senior executives were openly challenging gender-biased behaviors and language.
More than 2,600 executives, middle managers and professionals, an equal number of women and men, across 10 industries and nine geographic regions were surveyed.
The study reported several steps organizations can take to help accelerate progress in workplace gender equality. Among them are providing additional benefits such as backup childcare support and access to mental health resources along with ensuring that middle managers are advocates for positive cultural change.
In addition, the study reported that technology such as artificial intelligence can be used to help reduce bias in the candidate screening process and help evaluate what’s working and what’s not working to support women in the workplace.
