Women still face discrimination at work despite their best efforts to shatter the 'glass ceiling' that holds them back, experts say.
Two studies published yesterday highlighted how bias in a range of companies and the civil service continues to damage career women's prospects. The first discovered prejudice against older women seeking training opportunities because they were seen as offering a 'poor return' on investment. Women over 50 were more likely to be turned down while younger men were usually given money to go on training courses, the research found.
Dr Almuth McDowall of Surrey University who produced the study, said most of the managers she questioned believed they did not discriminate against women and were not ageist.
A separate study, conducted by Manchester Business School, found underlying prejudice against women in the civil service. Women who had family commitments were being offered flexible working arrangements but then discriminated against if they took advantage of them. Fiona Gavin, who led research into equality within the civil service, said managers denied women were discriminated against even though the number in senior jobs was very low. The link between management and male was so ingrained that any advancement by women was seen as equality. They lure people by offering flexible working, but there is an unspoken rule that you cannot advance your career if you take advantage of that policy.
It also emerged yesterday that the number of female directors in top companies fell last year - for the first time - as women apparently rejected the long-hours culture. In 2000, women made up 6% of all directors of FTSE 100 companies. The figure has been rising gradually, but it has now slipped to 10.3% from 10.5%.
Source: "The hidden bias that still hampers women at work", Daily Mail, Saturday 13th January 2007
Last Updated: 02/02/2007 15:05:06 By Sian Baird Murray
