Women are breaking through the ‘glass ceiling’ and have increasing employment opportunities, particularly in terms of career advancement and remuneration, suggests research.

Women are breaking through the ‘glass ceiling’ and have increasing employment opportunities, particularly in terms of career advancement and remuneration, suggests research.

More than three quarters of HR directors (78 per cent) do not believe that men have an advantage over women in the workplace, according to a study of 180 respondents by staffing services firm Robert Half.

Of those who do not think that women are on par with men in the workplace, half believe that family commitments are responsible for this imbalance and consider lack of promotional opportunities and the desire to maintain a good work life balance (36 per cent) the differentiating factors between men and women’s professional development.

Phil Sheridan, managing director of Robert Half UK says, ‘While it is encouraging that most HR directors don’t view men as having an advantageous position over women in the workplace, more needs to be done.

‘Companies should regularly review their succession and remuneration plans to ensure that women are treated fairly and equally, with policies to take into account their family and personal commitments.’

Sheridan adds that companies can help break the glass ceiling by carefully managing the talents of strong female candidates early in their careers and implementing diversity programmes specifically tailored to women.

The research also reveals that initiatives specifically designed to support women’s advancement in the workplace are low on the agenda for a majority of UK companies, with only 41 per cent of HR directors saying they have or plan to introduce programmes specifically tailored for women.

For those who do have policies in place, 93 per cent believe they are effective in helping women become professionally on par with men in the workplace. This suggests that, in addition to improving a business’ diversity credentials, these policies are a good employer branding opportunity to encourage more women candidates to apply to these roles.

See also: Guidelines for workplace monitoring

Related topics: Glass ceiling, Women, Women in the workplace