Gender Parity SpotlightTM Survey Details
For a full copy of the report please go to https://leveragehr.com/in-the-press
Research Details
The questions of the survey, held in November 2017, were based on the Gender Parity SpotlightTM (GPS) survey which was created to obtain a baseline of data to create a targeted strategy to retain and grow the women in their specific organization. The GPS is based on extensive research conducted by Leverage HR to find out what types of barriers prevent women from accepting or gaining leadership positions in organizations. Specifically, Leverage HR reviewed the published literature, conducted over 60 interviews of female executives, and followed up with a survey to determine the most common barriers that can undermine female professionals and reinforce the glass ceiling. This extensive research created the foundation for the survey.
The survey examines three types of barriers: individual, organization, and transitional barriers. Each of these barriers captures a grouping of sub-barriers stopping women from moving into leadership roles.
Individual Barriers
- Personal Life: assesses if women think it is difficult to combine a more senior role with their personal commitments.
- Self-Promotion: assesses women’s propensity to create their own barriers in their professional lives.
- Societal Expectations: assesses how social and cultural norms affect women’s decision-making.
- Awareness: assesses the level of women’s recognition of the benefits and rewards that can come from taking the next career step.
Organizational Barriers
- Performance Evaluation: assesses women’s perception of how their performance is valued and how their capabilities are rated in the organization.
- Management Attitude: assesses what the perceived attitude of management is toward women aspiring to actively move ahead in the organization.
- Organizational Support: assesses how the organization backs women to move up.
Transitional Barriers
- Support Network: assesses the strength of supportive relationships in the women’s professional life.
- Manage Issues: assesses women’s ability to make decisions in unclear circumstances, their ability to rapid prototype to arrive at solutions, and their ability to manage conflict in order to resolve issues.
- Resilience: assesses women’s ability to stay calm under pressure and to manage stress effectively.
- Manage Yourself: assesses women’s level of individual awareness and their ability to quell negative thoughts and replace them with positive thinking and action.
The stronger the barriers are, the greater the risk index score. The risk index score measures the risk of organizations losing female talent from the leadership pipeline, either because they give up or because they leave the organization to find better opportunities elsewhere. Each barrier has an equal share in the overall risk index.
Participant Profile
A total of 1,075 women participated in this survey. The results were based on their answers. Below are the highlights of the participant profile.
Industry Sectors
Participants represented 24 different industry sectors.
- 9% finance/insurance
- 9% public administration
- 8% manufacturing
- 8% professional services
Job Areas
Participants represented 19 different job areas.
- 13% HR
- 11% General management
- 12% Consultant
Size of the Organization
- 63% large
- 12% medium
- 25% small
Country of Residence
- 74% European Union (mainly France and Belgium)
- 3% USA
- 23% rest of the world
Are You Member of a Women’s/Diversity Network in Your Organization?
- 36% yes
- 64% no
Age
- 19% were between ages of 18–35
- 32% were between ages of 36–45
- 47% were between ages of 46–65
- 2% were 65 and over
Family Situation—Children
- 33% No
- 10% Yes, infants (0–three years)
- 37% Yes, school ages (four–18 years)
- 25% Yes, older than 18 years
Childcare Responsibility
- 39% complete
- 14% partial
- 2% weekend only
- 45% no children at home
Family Responsibility Shared with Partner
- 43% we share equally
- 40% we share, but I do more than partner
- 10% we share, but partner does more than I do 6 percent we do not share, I do most
- 1% we do not share, my partner does most of it