Monsterís most recent poll of workersí attitudes across Europe has found that despite best efforts, many feel that a íglass ceilingí still exists for women in the workplace. According to the results of the U.K poll, 56% of workers took this view. The term refers to situations where the advancement of a person within an organisation is limited and is often based on gender discrimination.
According to European Commission statistics*, 80% of women complete secondary education compared to 75% of men, and more than half of university students are women. But on average, women earn 15% less and hold only a third of managerial jobs.
The Monster Meter poll, conducted in the run-up to International Womenís Day, asked 7,797 European workers ìDo you feel a glass ceiling still exists for women in the workplace?î and the overall results revealed the following:
17% (1,301 votes) ìNo - the glass ceilingís a thing of the pastî
45% (3,508 votes) ìYes - but there are signs of greater equalityî
35% (2,733 votes) ìYes, itíll never go awayî
3% (255 votes) ìDonít knowî
ìOur poll shows that the traditional barriers to women progressing at work are gradually being broken down, with 45% of respondents across Europe saying that they see the situation improving,î said Rob Brouwer, CEO, Monster UK and Ireland. However, there is still much that can be done to improve career progression for women. The Monster website offers a vast range of information to help people get past blocks to progression.
While March sees the annual International Womenís Day as a celebration of womankindís many achievements, it seems that there is still some work to do to before the barriers to the boardroom are finally broken down. France, Italy and Belgium believe that things will never change with 46%, 36% and 33% (respectively) of workers reporting that the glass ceiling will never go away, the highest amongst all the countries polled.
On a more positive note, the highest reporting of seeing signs of greater equality came from respondents in Switzerland and Germany (both 57%), Austria (48%), Belgium (47%) and the UK (44%).
Austrian workers appear to have the most positive view of women in the workplace, with 22% of respondents stating that they think the glass ceiling is a thing of the past. In contrast, Irish workers polled the lowest (39%) when asked if there were signs of greater equality.
The Monster website is packed with useful advice on how to further your chosen career.
The results of the current Monster Meter are based on votes cast by Monster.com visitors from 3rd to 16th March 2007. Only one vote per user is counted toward the final tabulation. The Monster Meter, a product of Monster, the leading global online careers website and flagship brand of Monster Worldwide Inc., is a series of online polls that gauge usersí opinions on a variety of topics relating to careers, the economy and the workplace. Anyone interested in voting in Monsterís current online poll may do so by logging onto
Monsterís Poll Reveals That 56% of UK Workers Believe Women are hindered by a íGlass Ceilingí
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