Women in Leadership

According to the IAB Establishment Panel company survey conducted by the Institute for Employment Research of the German Federal Employment Agency, which surveyed 15,000 companies, the proportion of women in the top leadership tier of the private sector remains low at 28%. On the second management level, their proportion has not increased since 2016, remaining at 41%. Women make up 44% of all employees in Germany. ZEIT ONLINE reported.

However, there are regional differences: In East Germany, the proportion of women is higher than in West Germany, with a slight overrepresentation of women on the second management level.

There are also differences across industries:
– In the social and healthcare sectors, 75% of employees are women. Women hold 54% of leadership positions on the first level and 72% on the second level.
– In the finance and service sectors, 52% of employees are women. However, they occupy only 16% of top-level leadership positions and 32% on the second level.
– In the areas of transportation and warehousing, construction, and energy, water, waste, and mining, women are overrepresented on the second management level compared to their overall share of employment.

Nearly three-quarters of all part-time leadership positions are held by women. Currently, 23% of private sector companies offer part-time leadership roles, and in 13% of companies, at least one leadership position is filled on a part-time basis.

The introduction of the **2016 Act on Equal Participation of Women and Men in Leadership Positions** has, according to the study’s authors, barely changed the picture in German leadership teams. Even the relatively high proportion of women on the second management level has not led to more women advancing to top positions.

This reveals the invisible barriers that prevent women from advancing to higher leadership roles: the infamous “glass ceiling.” Given the shortage of skilled workers, the study’s authors emphasize the importance of leveraging the potential of well-educated women in leadership positions.