The number of managers who believe this issue is important for their company is most likely much higher, however, since almost two-thirds of the survey’s respondents feel that promoting gender diversity within their business unit is one of their main professional and management responsibilities. More than 60 percent also have a very clear idea of which concrete measures they must take to achieve gender diversity.
When it comes to implementing those measures, however, many managers feel they lack guidance from higher up in the organization. Even when gender diversity has already been declared as a corporate goal, only one manager in two feels they receive sufficient support from their immediate supervisor within the department or company.
At the same time, 66 percent of the respondents say that many companies are nonetheless successful in recognizing the potential of qualified female employees and supporting them in their careers. Yet that does not mean female and male employees are treated equally – for example, when it comes to promotions. According to 68 percent of those queried, gender diversity cannot be achieved by implementing individual measures, but only by bringing about a fundamental change in a company’s corporate culture and communications.
“Once all of the voluntary measures have been realized in the business community and society in general, the whole issue of introducing mandatory gender quotas for female managers will probably become superfluous very quickly,” says Liz Mohn, vice-chair of the Bertelsmann Stiftung Executive Board.