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Media releases > A woman's place
Are international assignments the new glass ceiling? Britain ignores female talent at its peril
(12 June 2002)
The old cliché might tell us that a woman's place is in the home, but figures published in 2001 by international development charity VSO tell us a woman's place is just as likely to be in The Gambia as in suburbia. In its report A Woman's Place…?, VSO announces a dramatic rise in the number of professional women volunteering overseas.
1,130 women, mainly in their twenties and fifties, are currently working with VSO, more than treble the number just twenty years ago. Now, for the first time ever, women are outnumbering their male counterparts. But the positive picture starkly contrasts with the business world, where, according to Cranfield University School of Management, less than 15% of international executives are women. And so, since most companies demand overseas experience from their senior managers, has UK business created a new glass ceiling for women? Dr Hilary Harris, author of the report's foreword and an expert in the area of women in international management explains:
There are three very potent assumptions made about women working overseas: first that women are not interested in posts abroad; second, family ties prevent them from accepting posts abroad; and finally women sent on overseas assignments are doomed to fail in the face of prejudice in certain countries. Yet here in the VSO figures is fascinating evidence, not only that women are indeed interested in taking up challenging postings overseas, but also that they thrive when given the opportunity to do so.
Attitudes to women working overseas were tested further in an NOP poll for A Woman's Place…? The results showed that these myths have a strong hold:
- Over 80% say it is easier for a man to gain respect than women in international cultures
- Over 30% (1 in 3) believe that men are better equipped to take up challenging posts overseas
- Over 60% believe that it is difficult for women to take up posts abroad because of family commitments
The increasing number of women coming to VSO reflects bigger trends in society: women are more highly qualified than ever; young women are deferring marriage and children until their 30s or later and women and living longer, healthier lives. All volunteers surveyed about their motivations said that they were hungry for a 'chance to do or be something different'. But while older women were prompted by the freedom from family ties, the urge to see the world and travel with a purpose, their younger counterparts saw VSO as a definite boost to their career prospects and attracted by the sense of adventure in an overseas posting.
Ruth Lewis, VSO's ex-Director of Recruitment points out:
Overseas postings are good for women - and in our experience women posted overseas are good for business. Here is evidence of a pool of female talent and ability just waiting to be tapped, not just by VSO, but by the wider business community. We have women working in key posts in business, IT, health, education and social work. We would argue that the exclusion of women from the board and abroad is not only bad for women it is bad for business. We hope that the evidence and experience that VSO has provides a blueprint for the future that business cannot ignore.
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