Obstacle course – how to strengthen women’s professional development in an organisation?
Although women make up about half of the population, their path to promotion and high positions in companies is still much more difficult than that of men. According to research, at the current rate of change, we need another 130 years to achieve full gender equality in the workplace. However, we do not have to wait that long – all we need is awareness of the obstacles and the right tools to overcome them.
Obstacles to women’s professional development and effective strategies for overcoming them
The path of professional development for women often resembles an obstacle course – it requires preparation, perseverance, awareness of the challenges and the right tools to overcome them. During a webinar organised by Traffit, Marta Jakubczak, Partnership & Community Manager at the brand, spoke with Agnieszka Czmyr-Kaczanowska, CEO of Talenti, about the most common barriers to women’s careers and effective methods of overcoming them.
Gallery of glass barriers – invisible obstacles hindering development
Unfortunately, we still face a number of negative ‘glass phenomena’ that hinder women’s professional development. Glass is a very apt metaphor because, despite its transparency, it is still a barrier behind which we can see everything, but we cannot get through to the place where we have a right to be. It is worth familiarising yourself with the most important phenomena in this area so that you can later diagnose them efficiently in the workplace.
Glass ceiling
This is a barrier limiting women’s promotion to the highest positions. Although partially ‘broken’, statistics still show significant disparities:
‘We have less than 20% of women in CEO positions in Poland. This means that 80% of CEO positions are held by men. I once read that in Poland there are more men named Mateusz in CEO positions than there are women in total,’ noted Agnieszka Czmyr-Kaczanowska.
The glass cliff
This phenomenon refers to women who have managed to break through the ‘glass ceiling’. When a company is undergoing a major transformation or is in a very difficult situation, statistically, there is a greater likelihood that a woman will be chosen as the head of the organisation. The problem is that if a woman fails to get the company out of a difficult situation, this confirms the negative stereotypes that ‘women can’t do it’.
Glass walls
Glass walls, on the other hand, refer to limitations in horizontal promotion opportunities for women:
– In Poland, 72% of assistant and receptionist positions are held by women. It is a role from which it is very difficult to get promoted because you are not a specialist in any industry, you can do everything, but nothing specialised – noted Agnieszka Czmyr-Kaczanowska.
Glass escalators
Glass escalators is a phenomenon whereby men are promoted more quickly in female-dominated environments. This is particularly evident in schools, where in theory this should not be the case.
‘When we think about education, especially in schools, we see more women, but the glass staircase phenomenon means that we are more likely to have a man as the headteacher than a woman, even though statistically we have more women within the organisation,’ explained the CEO of Talenti.
Stereotypes and prejudices – the subconscious enemies of inclusivity
Gender prejudices and stereotypes are deeply rooted in our culture. Agnieszka Czmyr-Kaczanowska pointed out that they actually affect everyone.
Unfortunately, stereotypes strongly influence everyday professional decisions.
‘If we are recruiting and a woman with a clearly rounded belly comes in for an interview, we may even be convinced that she is a phenomenal candidate, but somewhere in our subconscious we will think: “She’ll probably leave soon because that’s normal, so maybe we’d better take someone else,”’ noted the expert.
It is important to stop and think for a moment about what is driving us, what is behind this stereotype and where it can lead. The beginning of change can start with such self-reflection.
Imposter syndrome and increased expectations of women
Another significant challenge, as Marta Jakubczak noted during the conversation, is that women often struggle with imposter syndrome and set higher standards for themselves. Agnieszka Czmyr-Kaczanowska pointed to the source of these phenomena in the upbringing process:
“We need to take a look at how we were raised. Were we told: don’t argue, be quiet, children and fish have no voice, be polite, girls don’t behave like that, or was it completely different – you can do it, you don’t have to be ashamed, I believe in you. We often raise boys to be courageous and assertive, which helps them in adulthood, especially at work,” commented the CEO of Talenti.
Such deeply ingrained beliefs make it difficult to recognise one’s own value and celebrate successes later in life. As a result, women are more likely to belittle themselves or are afraid to ask for a promotion or a raise.
Two management styles – feminine and masculine
Moving on to the next aspect, when discussing the development of women’s professional careers, it is impossible to ignore the topic of management styles. Agnieszka Czmyr-Kaczanowska explained the differences between feminine and masculine styles:
“The female style is focused on cooperation, empathy, care, harmony, consultation, analysis, but also thinking about long-term goals. It is said that the female style gives employees a little more autonomy, while the male style means assertiveness, ambition, control, strength, quick consultations and a hierarchical management style focused on results,” explains Agnieszka Czmyr-Kaczanowska.
However, it is important to understand that despite the names, these issues are currently evolving. Both men and women can opt for both styles, mix them and change them over time.
An example of a situation where the feminine style proved extremely valuable was the pandemic:
‘If we hadn’t taken a little more from this empathy, cooperation, communication, and thinking about the good of the entire organisation, we probably wouldn’t be in a situation now, after five years, where the well-being and needs of employees are taken into account,’ emphasised Agnieszka Czmyr-Kaczanowska.
How can organisations support women’s professional development?
Now that we understand the main challenges, it is worth looking at specific actions that organisations can take to improve the situation of women. During the webinar, Agnieszka Czmyr-Kaczanowska discussed four key areas:
1. Dealing with stereotypes
Organisations should observe how women are promoted and how managers make decisions. It is worth verifying whether recruitment processes are transparent and whether recruiters are guided by unconscious biases.
2. Building a supportive work environment
This is a broad concept that includes both financial benefits and issues related to the approach to employees – attitude, willingness to talk, readiness to look for solutions that will make work easier.
Research by the Mamo Pracuj Foundation has shown that mothers returning to the labour market do not need benefits, but understanding of their particular situation. Understanding does not require financial investment, but it can sometimes be the most difficult thing to achieve.
3. Transparent recruitment processes
It is very important to be well prepared to attract a highly diverse talent pool. Organisations should not limit themselves to waiting for CVs to come in, but should actively shape their recruitment processes to attract a variety of candidates.
4. Identifying and supporting potential female leaders
As Agnieszka Czmyr-Kaczanowska emphasised, it is extremely important to identify potential female leaders – women who would like to develop within the organisation – and provide them with the appropriate support to do so.
Mentoring as an effective tool for supporting women
Among the methods of supporting women’s professional development, mentoring took a special place in the discussion. Marta Jakubczak asked about specific forms of support.
‘It’s like training for an obstacle course, where we have to exercise our muscles, practise jumping height and endurance. It’s a kind of mental resilience training, but also training in conversation, negotiation, public speaking, networking and building relationships,’ replied Agnieszka Czmyr-Kaczanowska.
The CEO of Talenti cited impressive statistics:
84% of Fortune 500 companies have mentoring programmes, and 100% of Fortune 100 companies do. This tool helps organisations grow because it helps their employees develop. 97% of people who have been mentored say that it adds value to their lives. 89% say that they would very much like to be a mentor to someone else.
Importantly, mentoring can be organised internally within an organisation:
“If we have someone within the organisation who sets themselves the goal of organising a small pilot mentoring programme, it can really be done,” assures Agnieszka Czmyr-Kaczanowska.
Changing the mindset of managers – a difficult but necessary path
One of the most difficult issues highlighted by the interviewer, Marta Jakubczak, is changing the mindset of managers, especially women who do not support other women. Agnieszka Czmyr-Kaczanowska explained it this way:
“Women who do not support other women have probably gone through a very difficult journey, during which no one helped them. And now they are unable to find empathy for women who would also like to get there. Equality is not a cake. It’s not like if we cut a piece of cake and eat it, someone else will be missing out. Equality is simply something that is. If there is more of it, we will all be better off. It simply multiplies like love.
What next?
Although we still have a long way to go to achieve full equality of professional opportunities for women and men, there are specific measures that can accelerate this process. Awareness of existing barriers, the creation of a supportive work environment and development programmes such as mentoring are key.
As Agnieszka Czmyr-Kaczanowska summed up: ‘If we raise awareness among managers, both women and men in top positions, and work with management boards, then there is a chance that it will succeed.’ Instead of waiting 130 years for natural evolution, we can take concrete steps now to accelerate the process and create a more equitable and effective working environment for everyone.
This article is based on the webinar ‘Obstacle course – how to strengthen women’s professional development in organisations’ with Marta Jakubczak (Partnership & Community Manager, Traffit) and Agnieszka Czmyr-Kaczanowska (CEO, Talenti).