Despite quota agreements and voluntary commitments, women are still under-represented at helm of companies in German private sector. Last year, only 26 percent of female executives were in top management level – only two percent more than 2004. This resulted in a study by Institute of labour Market and professional research (IAB), for which about 16,000 companies were surveyed in a representative poll.

Women at top of smaller farms

"While companies are increasingly engaged in field of personnel policy measures to promote equality between men and women," study states. "The targeted promotion of women, especially in preparation for managerial tasks, is still seldom to be found." Five per cent of holdings with at least ten employees refore have mentoring, women's support plans or target agreements to increase share.

At least in some areas such programmes could be fruitful: proportion of women at second management level increased between 2004 and 2016 from 33 to 40 percent. Smaller companies are also more often geführtals by women, according to IAB information: in large enterprises with at least 500 employees lagderen share in first management level at 13 percent, in company ten to 49 employees were 24 percent and in Betriebenmit Less than ten employees 28 percent.

Surprising from public sector

The most common is to find bosses according to IAB study in service areas such as health, education and teaching – but usually also only at second level of management. There, proportion of women is 71 percent. In contrast, chief physicians, hospital managers, school rectors are found to be much less common. At top management level, proportion of women is only 46 percent.

The researchers also found great differences between East and West Germany. The general rule is that proportion of women in east is higher than in west. Thus, on first Undzweiten management level East company 30 or 47 percent, Imvesten 25 or 39 female superiors are found. For comparison: DerBeschäftigtenanteil of women in East Germany is 48 percent, in West Germany 43 percent.

A surprise for researchers was public sector. Although quota has been in place for many years, proportion of women has fallen even furr: from 38 percent in year 2012 to 34 percent last year.

Date Of Update: 15 November 2017, 12:02