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By Vicki Owen
Corporates are losing senior women by failing to support them during pivotal points in their careers, according to executive coaching firm Talking Talent.
Nearly three quarters of women believe there are barriers preventing them from progressing to the top levels of management, research from the Institute of Leadership and Management has revealed.
The research found that women managers are impeded by obstacles such as maternity and childcare-related issues and lower ambitions and expectations.
Jo Lyon, co-founder and director of Talking Talent, says: ‘Companies need to look at the reasons why they have fewer women operating at a senior level, and consider what improvements could be made to retain them. Making the boardroom more appealing and accessible is a good place to start.
‘However, if organisations offered women coaching around these “career crunch” points, retention rates would improve and there may not be a need to place such a focus on increasing boardroom quotas – as per the recent Lord Davies’ report.’
On 3 April this year, Additional Paternity Leave comes into force, giving fathers a right to up to six months extra leave which can be taken once the mother has returned to work
Lyon says: ‘The extended paternity legislation is a step forward, but companies still need to take stock and plan ahead to support women through key transition points and look at ways to encourage women to return to work after the birth of a child (whether their first, second or third).
‘The time has come for a cultural shift, and drastic action needs to be taken to see more women being retained during critical transition points in their careers, but also to encourage a higher number to board level.’
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