Breaking down barriers to women's success

Women now make up about 42 percent of a loosely defined demographic category of executives, administrators and managers, according to 1992 figures from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. But only a small number of those women occupy top positions in major U.S. companies.

More women will be seeking management positions because of their increased participation in the labor force, affirmative action programs and expanded access to educational opportunities. During the next 10 years, women will make up a large segment of the available management talent, representing a resource that is often greatly underused. By tapping into this resource, companies can broaden their managerial base and, thus, their competitive edge. In fact, companies that do not remove obstacles to women's advancement are risking damage to their own growth.

Although advancement opportunities for women have increased substantially in recent years, there are still many barriers. One question remains unanswered: Why do so few women reach senior-level management positions? To try to find an answer, I broke the question into three parts:

* Are women now in the mid-level management positions aspiring to become senior-level managers?

* If so, are they aware of obstacles they will encounter and the sacrifices required to reach the top ranks of management?

* Do they know what actions they must take to obtain senior-level management positions?

SURVEY DESIGN

My research team conducted indepth interviews with 30 women in mid-level management positions in 15 Fortune 500 companies located in the Midwest. The interviews focused on career goals and aspirations, perceived obstacles to career development, perceived obstacles or hindrances to obtaining desired jobs, and actions believed necessary to obtain desired jobs.

The women surveyed work for 15 industrial corporations with sales varying from $500 million to more than $20 billion, and assets from $600 million to more than $24 billion. The companies average 35,000 employees and represent a variety of industries such as aerospace, chemicals, computers, electronics, food, petroleum refining, industrial and farm equipment, pharmaceutical and publishing/printing.

Age range of the women managers is 30 to 46, with an average age of 38. The majority (77 percent) are married, and 60 percent of them do not have children. These managers have varied titles and positions in human resources, management information systems, finance, marketing, accounting, engineering and research. Their work experience ranges from 8 to 25 years, with an average of 15.1 years. The number of years of managerial experience, including all levels, ranges from 3 to 17 years, with an average of 7.6 years. A second survey is being done with the same group of women to follow up on their career progress.

FUTURE CAREER GOALS

The women managers were asked to identify the highest position they ultimately aspire to by identifying the title, level and department or area of this position. They were asked to rate their goals on a scale ranging from "very realistic" to "very unrealistic."

Of the women, 83 percent aspired to top-level management positions, while 17 percent ultimately wanted upper mid-level management positions. Seventy-seven percent believed it is either very realistic or somewhat realistic that they will obtain the highest level jobs they want.

OBSTACLES TO CAREER DEVELOPMENT

The women managers were also asked to identify obstacles or key events in the past that had hindered their career progression. Four major obstacles were mentioned most frequently: bosses who did not guide or encourage their career progression, sex discrimination, women's lack of political savvy and their lack of career strategy.

Bosses who did not guide or encourage career progression. In most cases these individuals were described as "inadequate bosses" and were said to be insecure, to overmanage, to lack people skills, to be untrustworthy, to be incompetent technically, or to not be willing and/or able to provide critical feedback.

Many of the women managers said they did not get constructive feedback from their bosses.

Several women managers said their bosses had difficulty dealing with women or did not believe in the development or advancement of women.

Sex discrimination. In most cases, the women believed that because they were women they had

advanced more slowly, had to work harder to prove themselves, were not taken seriously or were treated with less respect, did not receive equal pay for equal work and were banned from certain jobs.

According to many of the women managers interviewed, being assigned the same responsibilities or the same title as men in the company did not mean that they received equal treatment in other respects such as salary. Several of the women managers said they believed salary levels, inclusion in the bonus system, access to high status conferences and a host of other benefits were skewed in favor of men.

One subtle form of sex discrimination noted in the survey is exclusion of women from informal business discussions, which often has serious consequences. "Information is power...without inside information, women cannot position themselves to move up in the company," according to Robert Dato, a Philadelphia psychoanalyst for executives and professionals.

Fox and Hesse-Biber said in their 1984 book, Women at Work, that barriers to promoting women are reinforced by a variety of stereotypes. One of the most damaging of these is the belief that women workers are unstable and unreliable. As a result, employers are often reluctant to promote or train female employees because they fear that women will quit when they marry or when they have children.

Our survey responses indicate the unreality of the stereotype. Sixty-three percent of the women managers had never interrupted their careers for more than two months. Those who took maternity leave were away from their jobs two years or less. These women managers said they intend to continue their careers, since they are well-educated, have made a career commitment, and are not planning to bail out or drop out of the managerial workforce.

Lack of political savvy. In many instances, the women believe they have difficulty conforming to company norms, fitting in, adapting to the organization's culture, knowing whom to approach for support or determining the organization's informal power structure.

Several of the women managers indicated that they had difficulty perceiving the organization's political environment accurately; they did not have access to information that would explain it to them. They also had trouble learning the legitimate means of operating within the organization's informal power structure.

Cultural factors are not likely to change immediately, but future generations of women will probably find fitting in easier. But today's generation of women find it difficult to fit into the organizations because most of them are run by men.

Lack of career strategy. Without a career strategy, women often do not obtain proper technical training and do not identify what is most important for their careers. Moreover, many of the women managers said they encountered pressure and resistance from colleagues and/or partners and that family obligations made their career plans more difficult.

Some of the women had not realized in early jobs that they wanted a career, or that it was even a possibility. Several respondents felt they would have advanced quicker if they had taken control of their careers and developed career strategies.

PERCEIVED OBSTACLES TO OBTAINING DESIRED JOBS

The four most frequent obstacles perceived by women managers in attaining their desired positions include competition (fewer high level positions available and many talented and competent people wanting these jobs), family obligations (getting married, having children, wanting to spend more time with family), being a woman, and lack of willingness to give what it takes to get the position.

ACTIONS NEEDED TO OBTAIN DESIRED JOBS

The women managers surveyed believe they must take the following four actions most frequently to attain the positions they want: continue to show competence on the job, work hard, get experience and exposure in other areas and functions of the company, and make major contributions in present and future positions or areas.

Businesses need as much leadership, talent, quality, competence, productivity, innovation and creativity as possible as they face more effective worldwide competition. Following are 10 actions companies can take to ensure maximum use of women's business capability:

1. Provide feedback on job performance. Give frequent and specific appraisals. Women need and want candid reviews of their work. Clearly articulated suggestions for improvement, standards for work performance and plans for career advancement will make women feel more involved in their jobs and help make them better employees.

2. Accept women. Welcome them as valued members of your management team. Include women in every kind of communication. Listen to their needs and concerns and encourage their contributions.

3. Ensure equal opportunities. Give women the same chances you give to talented men to grow, develop and contribute to company profitability. Give them the responsibility to direct major projects, to plan and implement systems and programs. Expect them to travel and relocate and to make the same commitment to the company as do men who aspire to leadership positions.

4. Provide career counseling. Give women the same level of counseling on professional career advancement opportunities as you give to men.

5. Identify potential. Identify women as possible future managers early in their employment and encourage their advancement through training and other developmental activities.

6. Encourage assertiveness. Assist women in strengthening their assertion skills. Reinforce strategic career planning to encourage women's commitment to their careers and long-term career plans.

7. Accelerate development. Provide "fast track" programs for qualified women. Either formally or informally, these programs will give women the exposure, knowledge and positioning they need for career advancement.

8. Offer mentoring opportunities. Give women the chance to develop mentoring relationships with other employees. The overall goal should be to provide advice, counsel and support to promising female employees from knowledgeable, senior-level men and women.

9. Encourage networking. Promote management support systems and networks among employees of both genders. Sharing experiences and information with other men and women who are managers provides invaluable support to peers. These activities give women the opportunity to meet and learn from men and women in more advanced stages of their careers--a helpful way of identifying potential mentors or role models.

10. Increase women's participation. Examine the feasibility of increasing participation of women in company-sponsored planning retreats, use of company facilities, social functions and so forth. With notable exceptions, men are still generally more comfortable with other men, and as a result, women miss many of the career and business opportunities that arise during social functions. In addition, women may not have access to information about the company's informal political and social systems. Encourage male managers to include women when socializing with other business associates.

Companies that are committed to equal opportunity for women and men are likely to be already taking some or all of these 10 steps. Those same companies also will undoubtedly attract and keep the best talent available.

Rose Mary Wentling is an associate professor in the College of Education, University of Illinois, Champaign, Ill.

COPYRIGHT 1995 Society for Human Resource Management
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