What challenges are facing women in business in 2021?

By Niamh Ollerton Updated Nov 23, 2021

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Introduction
Female startups are performing well but underfunded
Gender segregation leads to male-dominated fields
Female job applicants can lack confidence and assertiveness
Companies fail to understand benefits of more equal workplaces
Improving education from an early age
Working together moving forward

We’ve only recently moved into the second quarter of 2021 – but there are already two figures that jump out when it comes to top management positions in 2021:

Women occupy only 21 percent of these roles.

Women represent 54 percent of overall job losses due to the current pandemic-induced economic crisis.

ESCP Executive Education recently held a virtual roundtable to discuss how to boost women in industry, combat societal bias and address the unique challenges faced by women in business.

More women in management than ever before – but still not enough at a senior level

Diana Clarke, Professor at ESCP Business School said in the discussion that there have never been as many women in management as there are today – nor as many women at start-ups: “We can safely say that around 37 percent of middle management positions are now occupied by women.”

However, Clarke added that the number decreases as you go up the corporate ladder – with about 25 percent hired in senior middle management, and 13 percent at board level.

Clarke said: “We have to work on this, we're reflecting situations with roots from 25 years ago.”

Female startups are performing well but underfunded

Gender segregation leads to male-dominated fields

Female job applicants can lack confidence and assertiveness

Companies fail to understand benefits of more equal workplaces

Improving education from an early age

Working together moving forward

Related Categories:

faculty interviews

women in business

Written by

Niamh Ollerton

Niamh was Deputy Head of Content at QS (TopMBA.com; topuniversities.com), creating and editing content for an international student audience. Having gained her journalism qualification at the Press Association, London and since written for different international publications, she's now enjoying telling the stories of students, alumni, faculty, entrepreneurs and organizations from across the globe.