1 in 5 women say it's impossible to gain senior roles in British Businesses

Nearly a fifth of women (17%) think it’s impossible to reach senior management of a British Business, according to research by O2.

Whilst there has been significant progress in many UK boardrooms since Lord Davies’ Women on Boards 25% target set in 2011, 45% of working women don’t think that there are enough women occupying senior positions in their company.

On a more personal note, when women were asked about their own careers, a third (32%) revealed that it had failed to meet their expectations. Of the women who felt their career had met or exceeded their expectations, ‘luck’ was deemed as the main factor in their success.

Around half (48%) of the 2000 working women polled stated that all the decision-makers in their company are male, and 36% of women felt they lacked confidence to ask for the promotion or pay rise that they felt they deserved.

Ann Pickering, O2’s HR Director and board member, said: “As an employer, today’s findings make for uncomfortable reading. We want all our people - male and female - to feel supported and encouraged throughout their career, and it’s crucial that we remove any stumbling blocks preventing them from fulfilling their ambition and potential.”

O2, in association with the CIPD is launching a new guide ‘Women in Leadership,’ to encourage women with talent and potential to reach the highest levels in British businesses.

Pickering continues: “We need to focus our efforts on women at every level, creating a strong pipeline of female talent across British businesses. If we fail to do this, there is a very real risk that these women will seek these opportunities elsewhere.”

Dianah Worman OBE, Public Policy Adviser for Diversity at the CIPD, wants: “all parties in the forthcoming election to commit to a new voluntary target for at least 20% of executive director positions in FTSE 100 firms to be filled by women by 2020.”

“Anything that limits an organisation’s ability to appoint, promote and retain half of society’s potential leaders simply because of their gender has to be addressed.  The guide we’re supporting O2 to launch today will help others who want to improve their ability to select from the best potential leaders, regardless of gender.”