HUMAN Resources (HR) executives have been shockingly biased, with a sizeable minority of respondents to a recent poll by the non-profit organisation Young Women’s Trust (YWT) believing that men are more qualified than women for senior management positions.
The survey, which targeted personnel managers in England and Wales disclosed that nearly one in seven HR decision-makers consider men more suitable for top positions.
Also, almost one in five admitted hesitance in hiring women they believed might start families in the future.
YWT condemned these findings as a “travesty”, suggesting that England and Wales are stuck in the “dark ages” when it comes to gender equality.
It also indicated that companies led by female chief executives, such as British Telecom, ITV, and GlaxoSmithKline, are in the minority in the UK.
Despite this, the UK has elected more female heads than Germany, France, Italy, Spain, the US, and Japan combined.
The survey, commissioned by YWT and conducted by market researchers, involved 907 HR sole or joint decision-makers.
Claire Reindorp, chief executive of YWT said: “We know it’s hard for young women to get the jobs that they want because of barriers such as a lack of flexible working and affordable childcare, but then when they do enter the workplace, discrimination and a lack of support to progress creates this broken rung on the career ladder.
“It’s a travesty that in 2023 young women still aren’t being given the same chances in life as young men.”
Fifteen per cent of respondents agreed that men are better suited to senior management jobs than women, while 79 per cent disagreed, leaving the rest uncertain about their stance.
An alarming trend emerged among younger HR managers, who were found to be more prejudiced against women’s capacity to handle top roles compared to their older counterparts.
Separately, a regular tracking survey by the Chartered Management Institute (CMI) revealed that nearly a third of male managers believe companies are dedicating too much effort to achieving gender balance in the workplace.
This suggests that gender equality in the workplace continues to face obstacles.
Alesha De-Freitas, the head of policy at the Fawcett Society, said the figures showed businesses were systematically and illegally discriminating against women.
“It is shocking that HR managers still believe that men are better suited to senior management than women.
“This then funnels through to all of women’s experiences at work, from pay discrimination to unfair treatment around contracts. No wonder there is no prospect of the gender pay gap closing for at least another 28 years.”
The CMI estimated last year that the UK workplace would need an additional 560,000 female managers to be representative of the wider working population.
The Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD), representing HR managers, expressed concern over the survey results, emphasising the need for a stronger focus on increasing the number of women in executive roles and their direct reports.
Claire McCartney, the senior inclusion and resourcing adviser for the CIPD, called for ongoing education of decision-makers on the importance of gender equality at every level. She stressed the need to actively address gender stereotypes and biases.
In a related finding, YWT polled 4,000 young women, revealing that almost one in four have been paid less than young men for the same work.
Additionally, half expressed concerns about limited opportunities for career advancement. HR decision-makers also acknowledged the challenges women face in progressing within their organisations, with 28 per cent agreeing that it is harder for women than men.
The Department for Business and Trade, led by Kemi Badenoch, who also serves as the minister for women and equalities, declined to comment on the survey’s results.
These revelations underscore the persistent challenges in achieving gender equality in the workplace, highlighting the urgent need for concerted efforts to address biases and promote inclusivity.
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