Males dominate

Women remain significantly under-represented in the senior management teams of New Zealand businesses, reveals a survey by specialist recruiter Hays.


When compared to the number of female employees in a business overall, the survey shows that most businesses fall short of equal representation in their senior management.


The survey asked over 700 jobseekers across Australasia, of whom 220 were New Zealanders, if the number of women in their senior management team reflected the number in their business overall, and over half (53.89%) said no. One in four (26.17%) said ‘yes – very well’ while 19.94% said ‘yes – but could definitely be better’.


“This survey asked all levels of staff – not just managers – for their perceptions of equality in their workplace, and the results send a clear message to CEOs and MDs around the country that their employees are yet to believe their workplaces have fully embraced equality,” said Jason Walker, Regional Director of Hays in New Zealand.


“These results are interesting because they put company rhetoric aside. Employers in the majority of cases specify diversity as a recruitment requirement, suggesting that while intentions are positive, they are not equalled by the number of women actually achieving top leadership roles.


“Sadly there often remains an incorrect perception that women will not stay in the workplace as long as their male counterparts and lack the assertiveness required for senior management, despite the existence of countless examples refuting such stereotypes.


“In fact, one male survey respondent, who has a female manager, said that the best applicants for the vacancies he had recruited in the past had been female and he remains the only male in the business,” said Jason.


“In addition, male executives today are just as likely as their female counterparts to seek flexible working options and work/life balance. It’s not only women who seek to work from home one or two days a week for family or other commitments.”


A headcount analysis of Hays’ own employees shows females are extremely well represented across all levels of the business. An analysis of our current headcount shows 56% of the managers at Hays are women.


707 people completed the survey.