Business Leadership: Where are the Women?

Source: Georgia Current Accounts

In this article, Misean Reed provides an overview of the role women play in the industry. According to Reed, women have become such a significant part of the work force that firms that ignore the professional development of their female employees do so at their own peril. Reed cites statistics showing that companies with three or more women on the board considerably outperform those with fewer women serving at that level, and indicates that although more than 50 percent of new hires in CPA firms are women, only 23 percent of CPA partners are female.

Reed says women give the following reasons for why they don't rise to higher levels of business leadership:

• Not enough flexibility in leadership roles
• Little or no career advocacy
• The challenge of integrating work and personal responsibilities
• Lack of role models

Following are Reed's suggestions for how businesses can address issues that may stand between women and high-level leadership roles:

• Develop a mentoring and/or a women's leadership program
• Increase job flexibility (i.e., job-sharing, telecommuting, etc.)
• Create a way to stay connected with valuable employees who leave the workplace but who may eventually return to the work force
• Consider hiring part-time partners
• Consider how to increase employee retention.
• Give women leaders a platform to share their experiences.
• Increase networking opportunities for women.

For the complete article, read “Women in the Profession: Leaders in Waiting.”

From Georgia Current Accounts, http://www.gscpa.org/Content/ProfessionalResources/Publications/CurrentAccounts.aspx,  January/February 2011.