Despite the hard work of leading through a global pandemic, the work of women leaders in
corporate is not being recognised.
The latest Women in The Workplace report released by Mckinsey found that overall, women leaders are doing the work required to support the wellbeing of their employers. However, their efforts in championing “diversity, equity and inclusion” are going unnoticed.
Women leaders were found to be showing up to the challenge of creating a more diverse and equitable working environment despite the added pressure of the pandemic. This has led to increased burn out according to the report.
Despite the efforts women leaders have put in “promotions at the first step up to manager are not equitable, and women of colour lost ground in representation at every level,” the report found.
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There has long been a call for the increase of women leaders in corporate spaces. Benefits of having more women representation at the top include better financial performance, increased sales, and profits, and even less burn out.
South Africa
Some countries are doing better than others. South Africa in particular is not doing so well. Polity reported that while women make up more than half of the population “they comprise 32% of the Supreme Court of Appeal judges, 32% of advocates, 30% of ambassadors and 24% of executive heads of state-owned enterprises”.
When it comes to women in management positions, the situation is just as grim. “Only one of the top 40 JSE companies has a female CEO. About 64$ of all senior management positions are held by mend and women hold only 32% of executive positions,” Polity found.
Reversal of Gains
The pandemic has further damaged many slow gains made in increasing women’s representation in the workplace. Deloitte found that their “research has revealed a stark reality for women in the workplace: gender equity has regressed during the pandemic, stifling years of slow but steady progress”.
The solution to the increased burnout experienced by women leader according to Mckinsey is to take measures to ensure that burnout is addressed and that women are rewarded and recognised for their contributions in making the work place a more inclusive and safe space for all employees.
