Women still underrepresented in management positions

Study - Women still underrepresented in management positions

Women are still in the minority at the top management level of German companies. Their share has increased by 3 points to 28 percent since 2004, according to a study by the Nuremberg Institute for Employment Research (IAB). As women make up 44 percent of all employees, women are still underrepresented in management positions.

According to the study, women are significantly more frequently represented in the second management level at 41%. However, their share has not increased since 2016. There are differences between eastern and western Germany. In the eastern German states, the proportion of women in management positions is higher at both management levels than in western Germany. At the second management level, there has even been a slight overrepresentation of women in eastern Germany for the past ten years, the researchers wrote.

Part-time management is also becoming more popular. 23% of private-sector companies in Germany now allow their managers to work part-time. This proportion has increased by 7 points since 2014. According to the IAB, almost three quarters of all part-time management positions in the private sector are held by women. "The willingness of employers to allow managers to work reduced hours can be a way for people with caring responsibilities in particular to master career advancement despite family obligations," explained IAB researcher Iris Möller.

The study was based on data from the IAB Establishment Panel, a representative survey in which around 15,000 companies in Germany take part every year.

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1. Despite the progress, women are still underrepresented in management positions in German companies, holding only 28% of top-level management positions, as reported by the study conducted by the Nuremberg Institute for Employment Research (IAB) in West Germany.
2. The study shows that while women make up 44% of all employees, they are more frequently represented in the second management level with a share of 41%, although their representative stake has remained the same since 2016.
3. In contrast to western Germany, the proportion of women in management positions is higher in the eastern German states at both levels, with even a slight overrepresentation of women in eastern Germany at the second management level for the past decade, according to the IAB.
4. Part-time management is becoming increasingly popular in German companies, with 23% of private-sector firms now offering the option, a significant increase from 16% in 2014, as revealed by the IAB.
5. The research from IAB furthermore points out that 72% of the part-time management positions in the private sector are held by women, highlighting the potential for these arrangements to support career advancement for individuals with family responsibilities.

Source: www.stern.de