Think that men are always better suited in leadership roles? Think again.
According to a research study conducted by Weber Shandwick and KRC Research, there are some key differences between company heads based on gender. One of these differences is that companies with women in top leadership positions (including board of directors) reported 34% greater return to shareholders than those with lesser representation, indicating that gender diversity in the workplace is beneficial for all, not just women in those roles. However, even though companies with women leadership reported greater returns and better corporate perception, Weber Shandwick realized there wasn’t any real data on the why or how. By conducting a research study on more than 1,50 executives (both men and women) in 19 markets across the world, they were able to pinpoint some key differentiation between CEO’s of different genders.
The key takeaways?
-Companies with women in leadership role reported 34% greater return to shareholders
-The reputation of a CEO greatly affects the overall reputation of the company; higher company reputation the higher retention rate of employees
-Most perceived CEO “leadership qualities” are gender neutral
-Female CEO’s more likely to engage with external audiences (social media, news media, etc)
-There are less female CEO’s than perceived (executives estimate 23% of large companies have a CEO; reality shows it’s only 4-5%)
-Women are less likely to be interested in becoming CEO’s compared to male counterparts (32% men interested in becoming CEO compared to only 23% of women)
-Women are more interested in becoming CEO of a company with a strong reputation
Read the full takeaway from the study below:
