Survey Finds ‘Glass Ceiling’ to the C-Suite, Even in Female-Dominated Industries
Even women working in female-dominated industries such as real estate perceive that there is a “glass ceiling,” making it difficult to reach executive-level positions, a survey by Coldwell Banker found. In 2018, REAL Trends examined the growing trend of women in leadership roles in the real estate industry and predicted that gains would be made.
The Coldwell Banker Examining Women and Leadership Survey compares the leadership and professional ambitions of men and women who work in female-dominated industries, as determined by data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The survey found that in female-dominated industries, men are 75 percent more likely than women to hold an executive-level position. With this survey, the Coldwell Banker brand aims to probe the causes of this gender leadership gap and then work to demolish the glass ceiling.
Looking at the real estate industry specifically, the National Association of Realtors (NAR) 2018 Member Profile Report shows women account for 63 percent of all real estate professionals, yet more men lead real estate companies as a broker-owner** (52 percent) or a selling manager (57 percent). Open dialogue about women as leaders in the workplace, mentorship and training, combined with opportunities to grow and lead, are critical to empowering women in real estate and other female-dominated industries.
“Women in real estate face an upward mobility challenge, and it’s our responsibility to help correct the gender leadership gap,” says Zoe Horneck, vice president of product marketing and communications, Coldwell Banker. She added, “Our work has only just begun and we’re committed to ensuring that women across our network can envision a path to leadership and are given a variety of opportunities to exercise their leadership skills.”
Nearly two-thirds (64 percent) of working adults in the U.S. agree that working for a company that has female representation at the executive level is important to them, yet a full 41 percent agree that women have to work harder than men to earn an executive level position at their company.
Open dialogue about women as leaders in the workplace, mentorship and training, combined with opportunities to grow and lead, are critical to empowering women in all industries. However, among all employed U.S. adults, 40 percent say their company does not offer formal leadership training programs or sessions.
