As International Women’s Day approaches, LinkedIn’s data sheds light on the persistent underrepresentation of women in leadership positions.
Despite comprising 49% of Australia’s workforce, for example, only 35% of leadership positions are held by women, which is the same as it was in 2020.
The situation is similar in India and Singapore, where only 23% and 38% of leadership positions are held by women, respectively.
In addition, there hasn’t been much progress in the share of women being hired into leadership over the last five years – 38% in 2020 to 41% in 2024 in Australia; 24% in 2020 to 23% in 2024 in India; and 35% in 2020 to 38% in 2024 in Singapore.
However, LinkedIn’s recent survey of hiring managers across APAC suggests that internal mobility, career progression, and flexible work arrangements can play a critical role in addressing this issue.
The survey found that women in leadership positions are more likely to advocate for these policies compared to their male counterparts.
To attract top talent in the year ahead, 54% of female leaders are looking to highlight opportunities for career advancement and skill building compared to 51% of male leaders.
- 54% of female leaders are looking to increase their focus on internal mobility compared to 45% of male leaders.
- 50% of female leaders are looking to implement flexible working policies compared to 46% of male leaders.
- 38% of female leaders are also more likely to believe that flexible work arrangements based on personal preferences are more attractive to employees, compared to 31% of male leaders.
And finally, when it comes to providing growth opportunities for employees within the company in the coming year, 51% of female leaders are going to prioritise career progression, compared to 49% of male leaders.
And 49% of female leaders are going to prioritise flexible work arrangements, compared to 45% of male leaders.
“The lack of progress in female representation in leadership positions over the last five years in Australia, India, and Singapore is disappointing. While there has been some improvement in the share of women being hired into leadership roles, there is still much work to be done,” said Feon Ang, LinkedIn’s APAC Managing Director.
“However, there is reason for optimism, as female leaders are more likely to advocate for career advancement, internal mobility, and flexible work arrangements, which can benefit other women seeking to progress in their careers or balance professional and personal responsibilities. I believe these initiatives have the potential to shift the needle in terms of female representation in the workforce,” she said.
