I was reading this article on McKinsey quarterly about the lack of women in corporate roles.
The article talks about how companies can "attract" more women and keep them, through various methods of "positive discrimination". It also analyzed why these measures still failed to change the scenario.
Though it was a nice initiative for McKinsey Quarterly to analyze this side of the glass ceiling, I believe it missed out one highly important point. The whole analysis focused on the fact that companies were not doing enough to raise the position of women, but are the women doing enough to actually rise in the organization?
Every other day, I get mails of invites from friends who get engaged/married or pregnant.
Girls of age ranging between 22 and 25 yrs, less than an year (and sometimes just a few months) into their careers choose to marry. Many of them giving up their job in the process. Many others make a shift to a different company, usually with an insignificant role.
When women themselves, at the prime of their age take decisions which they KNOW would kill their career, what can companies or policies do?
How many women do you see moving on to do a post graduation? How can a graduate, who spent most of her time thinking about a child and what to cook for dinner ever lead an organization effectively?
Men move out of a company if they find the job or responsibilities below their expectations. How many women would do the same? How many women would make a move to a different city if she was offered a better position?
How many women would remain childless till they turn 28-29, so that they can set up a career? How many parents let their girls stay unmarried till 27 so that she can pursue her dream career?
We don't require companies altering their policies to make women rise. We need the society to understand that the goals of men and women in this day and age are not different. As long as our thoughts stay in the 1800's, it does not matter what companies or the government do.
As long as a woman considers that her primary responsibility is making and "rearing" a family, the C-level positions will stay above the glass ceiling, made by herself.
very well written. i've always wondered on similar lines. however, i'd have to ascribe it to the fertility clock of a woman. he child making possibility lasts only uptill she's circa 45. and giving giving birth in your 30's still is risky. its a debatable situation.
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