Women still hitting glass ceiling at work

MORE than half of Scottish businesswomen have hit a "glass ceiling" in the work place, according to a survey of female board directors and senior managers.

Nearly one-third blamed the "perceived need for long working hours" for the small number of women in senior roles, while 29 per cent pointed the finger at a lack of encouragement from their bosses.

Stereotyping of men in senior roles was also seen as a factor in creating a gender barrier.

But 83 per cent of women rejected the idea of having European-style gender quotas for Scottish boardrooms.

Viviane Reding, European Commission fundamental rights commissioner, has issued an ultimatum that, unless more boardroom seats are filled by women by the end of 2011, she will use powers under the Lisbon Treaty to impose "gender quotas".

Germany has set a target for 20 per cent of senior posts to be occupied by women by 2015.

Fiona Buchanan, a partner at law firm Tods Murray, which carried out the survey, said: "It is clear that while more and more women are coming into the business arena, very few are making it into the boardrooms."

Tods Murray held a debate at its Edinburgh office yesterday to discuss the gender barrier. But Susan Rice, managing director of Lloyds Banking Group Scotland and the first woman to lead a clearing bank, questioned the notion of glass ceilings.

She told the event: "Glass ceilings may or may not exist. But, as soon as we start blaming them for lack of success, we have given up trying. Taking our place in the boardroom requires hard work, tenacity, ambition and aspiration."

Meanwhile, Ffion Hague, wife of Foreign Secretary William Hague and a noted boardroom-level head hunter, addressed a meeting of Barclays Wealth staff in Glasgow, where the firm is marking its "diversity week".