Data from Grant Thornton's Women in Business 2024 survey suggests that we are far from achieving equality between men and women in senior management positions within the technology sector. Globally, women hold 32% of senior management positions in the technology sector, which is below the global average of 33.5%, and below other industries such as professional services (36.2%), asset management (35.5%), and healthcare (37.7%).
For 20 years, Grant Thornton has been conducting research that monitors and measures the proportion of women in management positions in companies around the world. The Women in Business project investigated what helps and what hinders women in high positions that bring with them many challenges. Global companies weathered the 2007-2008 financial crisis. year, have weathered the pandemic and are currently struggling with the impact of geopolitical tensions and conflicts.
Despite acquiring formal education at a younger age, the process of learning, acquiring new skills, and education should never cease.
According to Grant Thornton's research on women's business in the global market, changes during the pandemic have slightly boosted the advancement of women in senior management. Developing a business culture that empowers people through flexible ways of working and supporting women in leadership positions are some of the factors that greatly improve business, and if these factors were not there, by 2025, only 34% of leading positions in companies at the global level will be occupied by women.
Early assumptions at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic said that women in business could go back ten years due to changes in the work environment. However, our recent research, Women in Business 2022, shows that in many ways, women in medium-sized organizations actually benefit from this new business. It seems that companies are finally taking advantage of the diversity and involvement of all employees more than ever before.
However, in the next few years it is necessary to maintain continuity and commit to further progress, especially in the financial services industry, where stakeholder pressure to achieve and maintain gender balance is growing. Due to the lack of manpower and talent, leaders are concerned about whether inclusion and equality will be maintained in every company.