randstad workmonitor: women in leadership: still a tough battle.

With International Women's Day around the corner, "women in leadership" continues to be a hot topic, according to the findings of the latest Randstad Workmonitor. While 84% of employees worldwide believe in diverse and balanced male/female leadership teams, almost two-thirds (64%) of the respondents' employers have more male than female managers. These numbers run very high in China (90%), India (80%), Japan (78%) and Turkey (75%) where there are very few women in management roles. 46% globally would like to see more women in leadership positions with China (79%) and India (76%) leading the way.

Gender quotas, yes or no?

Globally the overall number of respondents who believe men (38%) or women (40%) are better suited to lead a company do not differ greatly. However, several countries are much more outspoken on a preference for male senior leadership (China, Hong Kong, India, and Malaysia), while Spain, Chile and Mexico share a higher preference for female leadership. When asked if gender quotas would work as a lever to promote more women in leadership positions, more than half of the employees globally agree (57%). This belief is especially strong in China (78%), India (75%) and France (70%). But in Norway, Denmark, Hungary, and New Zealand employees are not so convinced quotas are the right approach to the issue of women in leadership positions (all around 44-45% in agreement).

Getting there, and getting paid 

Over half of employers globally (57%) encourage women to pursue leadership positions, mostly so in Australia, Canada and the US (around 74%). There is much less encouragement in Hungary (25%), Japan (36%) and Czech Republic (38%). Globally, 62% believes it is harder for women to be promoted to leadership positions than it is for men. High agreement to this statement occurs in China (86%) and Germany (79%). Although 75% of the employees globally state employers reward men and women equally, at the same time 35% says women make less money than men in similar jobs. In China and India (59%) men often make more money. Luxembourg (18%), Argentina (23%) and Mexico (26%) experience less inequality in the salaries of men and women in management.

Part-time work not widely accepted in a management role

Working part-time in a management role is accepted at 40% of employers globally, which is comparable with the Randstad Workmonitor findings in August 2011 when this was 41%. In Argentina (60%) and Mexico (56%) working part-time seems more or less accepted, but this is not the case in Japan (19%), Hungary and Turkey (24%) and Greece (34%). 54% states that working part-time hinders your career, and this is a lot higher than the 46% measured in August 2011. In Greece, where working part-time is not common practice, 68% feels that working part-time limits your career opportunities.

Quarterly recurring items

Mobility Index reaches new high point at 109

The Mobility Index has increased three quarters in a row reaching 109 which is its highest point since the launch in 2010, meaning more employees are expecting to have a different job within the next six months. Mobility has increased in China, Argentina and Brazil and declined in Italy and Hong Kong. 13% of the employees is actively looking for a new job which is 2% higher than in Q4 2012. Numbers have increased in Spain and Japan, and the highest percentage of employees looking for a new job can be found in Sweden (28%).

Employee confidence decreases slightly

The confidence of finding a comparable job within six months has slightly decreased over the quarter while the confidence in finding a different job has remained stable. The overall fear of job loss remains stable, but has increased in The Netherlands, China and Japan. India saw a decline of fear of job loss.



Job satisfaction In Europe, employees in Norway (81%) and Denmark (79%) continue to lead the way, and Greece (52%) and Hungary (41%) are the least satisfied. Outside Europe, India, Malaysia and Mexico (all around 76-77%) are the most satisfied with their job.

Personal motivation

The personal motivation of employees in Europe remains stable, with Belgium and Turkey less focused on getting a promotion compared to last quarter and an increase in focus for France. Mexico and India have the strongest ambitions outside Europe, and compared to last quarter Chinese employees have an increased personal ambition while Hong Kong shows a decline.

The Randstad Workmonitor

The Randstad Workmonitor was launched in 2003, and now covers 32 countries around the world, encompassing Europe, Asia Pacific, and the Americas. The Randstad Workmonitor is published four times a year, making both local and global trends in mobility regularly visible over time.



The Mobility Index, which tracks employee confidence and captures expectations surrounding the likelihood of changing employers within a six month time frame, provides a comprehensive understanding of job market sentiments and employee trends. In addition to measuring mobility, also employee satisfaction and personal motivation, as well as a rotating set of themed questions are part of the survey.



The quantitative study is conducted via an online questionnaire among a population aged 18-65, working a minimum of 24 hours a week in a paid job (not self-employed). The minimal sample size is 400 interviews per country, using Survey Sampling International. Research for the first wave in 2013 was conducted from January 18-31, 2013