Women are being shut out of "high potential" programmes designed to boost careers, according to a new study.
A new Holding Women Back study in the US gathered information from 10,000 leaders at 76 organisations around the world, 62 per cent of whom were men.
The study, conducted as part of the DDI's Global Leadership Forecast, concludes that if women had the same opportunities in leadership development programmes, there would be a lot more women in top executive roles.
At the first level of management, the study found, 19 per cent of men and 15 per cent of women were in high-potential programmes, but by the time they reached the top executive level, 39 per cent of men were considered high-potentials compared with only 26 per cent of women.
"That was a rude awakening," said co-author Anne Howard. "There were 50 per cent more men than women getting special attention and special development."
Part of the reason women are not involved in leadership programmes is that they are often kept secret she said, hinting there may still be a boy's club when it comes to recommendations for development.
The study found that women should make their career aspirations known to managers and observe how others move forward in the company, and more than anything, should stay positive.
Last week, US retail giant Wal-Mart launched a Global Women's Council to increase the number of women in management roles.
Female workers currently make up 27 per cent of senior management roles at the company, but that figure has remained static for two years, reported Business Week.
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These programmes offer excellent opportunities for individuals to further their career development , so its a shame to hear that women aren't getting the same access as men are. Very disapointing.
How much of the change in numbers at the higher level is because a lot of women have dropped out at some stage?
I am not a sexist and have promoted and championed women into junior and senior management roles but there are a number who rule themselves out - either because they leave to have families (and many do not come back) or they decide they don't have the desire to push further ahead (some men do this too).
Starting from what is generally, unfortunately, a smaller pool, the drop outs obviously reduce the number left to compete. Often it is the best people who decide not to come back - they have a more single minded approach to what is important to them and raising the family often wins out.
Some of it, no doubt, is a sexist boys club issue but I would be interested to know what percentage of women had dropped out of their own accord and if there was any evidence of the quality of those women in terms of rating them as potential stars.
NB I had one person who I championed into management go on maternity leave and then decide not to return in order to raise her child. Returning to me a couple of years later she eased back into work and returned into her previous managerial role. She was then promoted to a senior management role before she left again. She had the ability and even after being ruled out once she still got on before finally ruling herself out again. Would I do it all again knowing she wouldn't stay - yes. She was great whilst we had her and we would have missed out on that.