A three-year campaign to help secure a level playing field at work is being launched today by the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC).
The drive to “move the dial” towards gender equity, unveiled on International Women’s Day, is backed by extensive research.
A landmark survey by the Chambers has revealed that more than two-thirds of women with childcare responsibilities in the last 10 years feel they have missed out on career opportunities as a result.
Almost three-quarters of female respondents feel there is not sufficient support for those experiencing the menopause.
Building on the results of the survey, the BCC have outlined an urgent three-point plan for their Gender Equity Campaign respecting all people regardless of their gender:
- The Chambers will convene employment experts, Chamber CEOs and employers to create a Chamber Workplace Equity Commission.
- The Commission will analyse research findings and case studies, to develop policies for Government and best practices for businesses enshrining equity in the workplace.
- The Chambers will re-run an identical survey with the aim of moving the dial on the outcomes.
The shock survey of more than 4,100 respondents, carried out with leading panel provider Find Out Now, shows that more than two-thirds of women with childcare responsibilities feel they missed out on career development, pay rises and/or promotions.
Almost two-thirds of female respondents said they would prefer to take time from paid work for childcare responsibilities.
The figures show that 86 per cent of women, and 77 per cent of males, feel there is insufficient support for people with non-paid caring responsibilities for elderly or disabled relatives or friends.
Almost three quarters of female respondents feel there is not sufficient support for those experiencing menopause. Almost half feel they will miss out on career opportunities due to the menopause.
One in three female respondents who have gone through menopause felt that it impacted their career negatively.
Shevaun Haviland, Director General of the BCC, above, said: “Many people feel that the burden of childcare, caring responsibilities and menopause have had a negative impact on their career, but women report higher levels of concern across the board.
“What women want is a level playing field. They don’t want handouts or a hand up, they simply want to make sure there are no barriers to career progression and face the same opportunities as their male counterparts.
“Tackling these issues is integral not only to the wellbeing of our women and workplaces, it is crucial to the functioning of any strong economy.”
Sarah Howard MBE, Chair of the BCC, above, said: “The Workplace Equity Commission, led by the BCC, will work with Government to help shape the future of the workplace and will also develop best practices for businesses to adopt.
“Our ultimate goal is to see the dial moving in the right direction when we re-run this same survey again over the course of the next three years.
“A level playing field is not just a nice thing to have. Gender equity is good for the economy, good for our labour market and good for society as a whole.”
