New Study Exposes Barriers to Career Progression for Women Executives

New Study Exposes Barriers to Career Progression for Women Executives PR Newswire LONDON, October 29, 2012 LONDON, October 29, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Management Inequalities Persist Despite Progress on Boardroom Diversity Major businesses are not doing enough to improve the career progression of talented women executives, in contrast with recent progress in appointing female non-executive board directors, according to a far-reaching research study by MWM Consulting, the board advisory and search firm that acts for some of the world's largest companies. A study involving the Human Resources directors of more than 70 leading UK and international corporations identified continuing career barriers for women executives, including unconscious bias at senior management levels, a lack of active sponsorship and a loss of career momentum for women returning from maternity leave. "What we have found is not so much a 'glass ceiling' but a 'slippery ladder' that leads to higher levels of female attrition at each stage of the management ranks", said Michael Reyner, Partner at MWM and co-author of the report. "This leads to a lack of diversity and loss of talent which undermines efforts by leading companies to strengthen their management teams.