The document discusses women in the European workplace and lessons for global managers. It covers the quota legislation adopted by several European countries to increase women on corporate boards, historical perspectives on increasing women's participation in the workforce, existing gender pay gaps, barriers to women's leadership, and social factors still influencing women's careers. The key lessons are that global managers should leverage women's talent and understand the regulatory, cultural, and business factors to maximize their organization's competitive advantage.

1. What a Global Manager Needs to
Know about Women in the European
Workplace
Group 2

2. Presentation Overview
2. Historical Perspective
3. Women’s Leadership
4. Pay Inequality
5. Social Environment
6. Lessons Learned
1. The Quota Legislation

3. 1. The Quota Legislation
Controversial legislation from European
Commission has brought women’s
movement to forefront.
Requirement: 40% of women on boards.
EU has not followed same path as US.
EU lacks strong individualism
EU needs to address issue as a whole

4. 1. The Quota Legislation
*Countries adopting quota:
Norway first country (2003)
Next: Spain, France, The Netherlands,
Belgium, and Italy
50% BOD Quota: Finland, Sweden
Countries that don’t favor quota:
Germany, Great Britain

5. 1. The Quota Legislation
Controversial Studies:
Leeds University: Having
one woman on board
reduces risk by 20%
University of Michigan:
Poorer performance on
boards
Image sources; http://www.theglasshammer.com

6. 2. Historical Perspective

7. 2. Historical Perspective
Positive outcomes on the issue:
Some countries have introduced quotas
Increased participation in the workforce
From 55% in 1997 to 62% in 2012
Impact of women in workplace
Historically low birth rates
Severe labor shortage by 2050

8. Pay Gap
Average pay continues to be
lower at all levels.
European women earn
16.2% less
Women graduates earn
between
€24k and €27.5k vs.
€27.5k+
The difference in average
pensions is 39% (double of pay
difference)

9. Women’s Leadership
“…the more uncertain the world is, the more
diverse you need your management to be”
Agnes Audier
Boston Consulting Group
Image sources: www.womens-forum.com

10. 3. Women’s Leadership
(Source: http://www.debatingeurope.eu)

11. 3. Women’s Leadership
Proportion of leadership continues to be
low:
10% Corporate Executive Leadership
12.5% FTSE Boards
14% on EU Largest Company’s BOD

12. 3. Women’s Leadership
Some see the value on increasing women’s
participation, since women are believed to:
Be less prone to risk
Not driven by high salaries
Can generate bigger and broader
discussion
Goldman Sachs Study: Women in workplace
effect on GDP:
21% Italy, 19% Spain,
16% Japan, and 8% in GB

13. 4. Pay Gap
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tYB0hiSN0G0

14. Social Environment
Culture and family:
 Social
 Tradition
 Sexism
Social factors:
 Real-Life example
 Rosa
Image sources; cnn.com

15. Lessons Learned Management
Global Managers Should:
Maximize the competitive advantage of our
organizations through:
Leveraging women’s talent/leadership in
the workplace.
Understanding/influencing the regulatory,
cultural, and business factors involved.
Data collection, benchmarking
Political lobbying

16. Any Questions and/or Comments?
Image sources; sheinspires.com.au