The document discusses barriers to gender equality in senior management. While legislation has been in place for 40 years, a recent poll showed only 20% of senior management roles in the City are held by women. While there have been gains, formal barriers have been removed but informal cultural barriers remain. These include organizational practices that exclude or marginalize women. Changing organizational culture requires acknowledging historical and social contexts regarding gender relations and addressing problematic aspects of historical masculinity that influence culture. Leadership and legislation are important drivers of change, but changing attitudes must also start in schools.

1. Women managers- still travellers
in a male world?
Cultural barriers to equality
International Conference on Gender
Equality, Inclusion and Talent
Slovenia, GH Union
February 5th and 6th
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2. Women Managers
 “Business remains a world created by males for males”
 Equality legislation in place for forty years now
 FT poll showed that under 20% of senior management
in the City are women, leading to many senior women
now calling for quotas
 Of course there have been gains but so there should –
female graduates have far exceeded male graduates
for many years
 If we have not travelled far enough – why not?
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3. Cultural Resistance
Formal ( both legal and educational barriers
removed)– left with informal (cultural) barriers
Resistance acknowledges power, an
uncomfortable aspect of organizational culture
Using a more holistic cultural approach to
organizational culture enables gender specific
practices to be identified as excluding or
marginalising
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4. Context is important
Historical, social and cultural context
acknowledged – important when discussing
different countries as different organisations
Here your labour market history and gender
relations history will be very different from
that in the UK
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5. My work and approach to culture
change
Asking uncomfortable questions – wherever I
am!
What does it take to change organizational
fabric to harness the potential of women in
the workforce?
See organizational culture as both attitudes
and material ie practices
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6. A Model of Organizational Culture
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Background to Organisation
History, location, ownership,
employee profile
Physical Layout of
Artefacts
Décor, buildings, office
layout, pictures
Gender Awareness
Equal Opportunities/
Awareness
Language and Communication
Metaphors, humour, meetings, talk
Management Style
Masculine / feminine /
business
Work Ideology
Public / private / work/
life
Informal Socialising
Drinks / clubs / sports /
networking
Sexuality
Sexualised culture/
harassment / orientation
Time Management
Long hours / part time

7. Concluding Points
 Diversity initiatives often focus on support for women
rather than culture change
 Insufficient attention on the more problematic aspects
of types of historical masculinity which influence and
dominate certain aspects of culture
 Leadership is vital – so often is legislation and the
threat of legislation
 History of gender relations and the status of women in
wider society
 Attitudes to change must start in schools
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