A recent study published by Information Technology (IT) giant IBM found that women are ready to take a ten per cent pay cut if the job they are offered has features like a flexible work schedule, supportive management, or a more meaningful job nature. The study plays a relevant role at a time when companies report a 19 per cent higher revenue growth after making gender equality a priority. Aside from being a morally rooted practice, ensuring all genders get a fair chance has proven profitable for companies. The study provides insight into the workspace features women employees often lean toward.

For the 2023 study, IBM worked in collaboration with the Oxford Economics to survey about 2,500 professionals. The sample group was represented by equal numbers of men and women respondents from organisations across 12 countries and ten industries. The countries surveyed include Germany, the Nordic region, the UK, Brazil, China, India, Kenya, the US, and Japan. Each country constituted about 11 per cent of the total sample. 

Preferring Flexible Workspaces

The IBM report comes across as a promising study that could play a pivotal role for many companies to restructure toward a gender-inclusive and employee-driven environment. Companies that made it a formal priority to promote women to senior positions and viewed gender inclusivity as a driver of financial performance benefitted more than its competitors. 

Titled ‘Women in leadership: Why perception outpaces the pipeline – and what to do about it,’ the study states that almost half the women respondents would take up to ten per cent salary cut for a job that offered certain benefits. This includes either of these: 

• Supportive management
• Flexible work location
• Stronger environmental, social, and governance (ESG) profile
• Better daycare or care facilities for children
• More flexible work schedules

The women’s responses conveyed yet another idea that female talent could easily be lured away if companies don’t act with urgency to address and accommodate their concerns. This was also reflected with supporting data. It stated that in the next year, about 30 per cent of women were in plans to “actively seek a new job”; 27 per cent anticipate resigning over physical or mental health reasons, 30 per cent expect to leave the job temporarily to take care of the family; and a 24 per cent say they plan to “leave the workforce permanently.”

Plausible Reasons For Career Stagnation 

Among the positive findings suggested by the study was that women in the C-suite (executive-level managers within a company) and executive boards have both gone up to 12 per cent. In the IBM surveys of 2021 and 2019 surveys, there were about 10 per cent women in the C-suite, while women on executive boards comprised only 8 per cent.

Another bright spot for women is at the start of the leadership pipeline. After a slight decrease in number of women in the junior professionals and specialists role in 2021, it has picked back pace and surpassed the numbers recorded in 2019. Today about 40 per cent of people in the role are women. With these new numbers, the study claims it makes “by far the role closest to gender parity.”

However, this is accompanied by the disappointing element that women in these roles are in a “stubborn stagnation.” They often stagnate in the position, which called for organisations to make more progress in the advancement of women to top leadership positions. Exploring the other reasons that have held back women from leadership positions, the study commented that “just because a woman can advance into a leadership role doesn’t mean that role is attractive or fits into her life.” 

Lisa Shalett, Co-Founder of Extraordinary Women on Boards (a community for accomplished women), sheds light on this aspect by saying, “we can’t even get the room temperature of a building to suit a woman’s body. You can make the case that roles and workplaces were created as male-centric and haven’t ever been redesigned to be more inclusive.” Another reason that they believe has held back women from progressing in their professional life could be their need to fulfill their responsibilities as a mother. They often take leave for this at “precisely when they could be tapped for promotion.” This might explain why women might opt for jobs that pay less if it’s a flexible work environment with meaningful work and supportive management.

Also Read: Inclusive Working Spaces! India’s White-Collar Sector Sees 35% Increase In Job Openings For Women

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2023-03-11 09:53:35.0

Women Employees Ready To Take 10% Pay Cut For Flexible Job Environment & Supportive Management: Report