Women in leadership positions: Germany lags behind in EU comparison!

Women in leadership positions: Germany lags behind in EU comparison!

In an increasingly globalized working environment, the question of equal opportunities in management levels is becoming more and more pressing. According to a recent report by the South German newspaper Women are less represented in German management than in many other European countries. In 2024, around 1.32 million men and only 540,000 women would be in management positions in Germany, which corresponds to a proportion of women of just 29.1 percent. This number is well below the EU average of 35.2 percent. A look at Sweden shows that the country is a leader with 44.4 percent of women in leadership positions.

It is clear that there is a lot of catching up to do here. While the proportion of women in management positions in Germany has almost stagnated in recent years - from 29.0 percent in 2014 to just 29.1 percent in 2024 - the EU average shows an increase of 3.4 percentage points. The rise is particularly notable in Sweden, with an increase of 7.3 percentage points, and Estonia, which increased by 7.2 percentage points. The EU average shows that progress is being made in many countries, while Germany is lagging far behind.

The international comparison

The disparities in the representation of female leaders are not only striking, but also worrying. For example, the proportion of women in Italy was 27.9 percent, which is due to the overall lower employment rate of 42.5 percent for women. In neighboring Austria, however, female managers are relatively well represented at 36.2 percent, with a similar proportion of working women at 47.5 percent.

The report shows that developments in Germany are not isolated cases, but often have tangible causes and consequences. The question arises as to what measures could be taken to promote equality at management levels. One possibility that has been discussed again and again in recent years is to strengthen initiatives to promote female managers through targeted programs and quota regulations.

conclusion

The data makes it clear that there is still a lot of room for improvement in gender equality in management levels. While progress is being made in many European countries, Germany is lagging behind. But perhaps looking beyond the borders could help to adapt proven strategies and thus increase the representation of female managers. Because in today's world, when diversity is not just a buzzword but a necessity, the goal of all companies should be to use the full potential of all managers, regardless of gender.