Zhang Xin.jpg (Photo : Reuters)
Even with a high female employment rate--one of the highest in the world--China is still known as a country where only a few women land in senior positions, according to a study released on Tuesday in Shanghai.
The study conducted by Bain & Co. revealed that less than 10 percent of top-ranking jobs in China are held by women, and there is only 1 out of 15 chance for them to achieve the chief executive suite.
Only 27 percent of women were placed as senior managers, 8 percent are board directors and 6 percent are CEOs, the report said.
There were 850 women of different titles in over 25 industries from the 50 cities across China that participated in the study.
The study saw that the number one hindrance of women in getting promoted is their commitment to their families and the disruption it may cause to their work.
Jennifer Zeng, a co-author of the study, said that even if China has implemented gender parity policies to promote equal opportunities for women, the country's norms and behaviors are excluded from it.
China, however, still has the most number of working women compared to other countries. Seventy-three percent of women in working age are employed, compared to 67 percent in the U.K. and 62 percent in the U.S.
Zeng said that the real challenge posed in China is for companies to avoid prevailing stereotypes, especially comparing women and men's leadership skills. Gender and organizational biases should also be countered, the study proposed.
