The proportion of women in the global population is roughly equal to that of men. According to the Federal Statistical Office, 29.4% of management positions in Germany are held by women. Compared to the other EU member states, Germany was only in the bottom third. Women are also underrepresented in the STEM sectors, which have a high innovative and economic power. This raises the question of why women are not more strongly encouraged to enter STEM professions. Why is there still this discrepancy between the proportion of men and women? Why are we not tapping into the hidden potential of women? This question cannot be answered so easily, but it should always be reflected in our minds.

It is obvious and has been worked out in many articles and studies: Attributes such as creativity, flexibility, empathy, communication and cooperation are valued by employees and companies and are predominantly attributed to women. Diverse teams are more creative, more productive and the atmosphere is more balanced. In some countries, it is no longer conceivable to have purely homogeneous teams. The market also wants diversity in companies.

Role model 'woman' as an obstacle

You are probably wondering why women don't just do it now. Have you ever asked yourself what role models most of us grew up with? What phrases did they hear, what prejudices were they confronted with? What do they in turn tell their daughters, sisters or friends? I recently asked these questions to the CEO of a technology company that is working with us on a global women's program with several modules. He had not yet reflected on these questions, he spoke openly about how things were at home and that he had not yet seen the 'problem' of women in companies and the professional world. But he knew that something had to change if you want to be innovative in the market and utilize all potential and candidates.

Recruiting and retaining well-trained women

Today, companies need to define strategies to counter the shortage of skilled workers. This also means actively removing obstacles so that women apply and want to remain in the company despite family planning and continue to contribute all their skills. So what are the first starting points for women, managers and companies themselves? How does a company want to position itself externally in order to be attractive to female talent?

Companies need a vision of how they want to be as an organization and what mindset they want to internalize with regard to women in the company. Strategies need to be developed that promote better career opportunities for women and increase equal opportunities. Only then will female talent be at your door and not at the competition.

Clearing up prejudices

Even if everyone talks about how we are already so open and non-judgmental towards women and equality is no longer an issue - there are still 'beliefs', attitudes or thoughts that influence our actions. A few examples:

• Can she manage with 2 children?
• She only works 75%, so she can't manage a department.
• A single mother, that's not safe enough for me.

It's not just the company and its strategy that make the difference, but also the appearance and commitment of the managers. Who will be put forward for the next vacancy? Will it be Max Mustermann, or do I dare to speak to the female part-time employee who would actually be the better candidate for the job due to her qualifications, but unfortunately "only" works 75%?

Tips for managers, women and companies

In these times of the 'war of talent', more creative approaches and an open mindset are needed that allow managers and applicants to engage in conversation.

Tips for managers

• Talk to your colleagues about what the position should look like, what working hours are possible or whether job sharing is an option. Look for solutions together.
• Discuss together in advance how the framework can be set, e.g. for part-time employees or mothers.
• Actively address any concerns the employee may have when it comes to the next career step.

I often hear that women don't apply for a position that interests them because they "only" fulfill 90% of the required criteria. A man, on the other hand, would even apply if he only had 60% of the qualifications. Women often lack courage and encouragement. Women should show more courage when it comes to taking the next step in their career and have more confidence in themselves. It is important to reflect on unconscious behavior and to learn from these reflections. Beliefs such as "Be perfect", "You have to prove yourself", "Be nice" or "I have to be better than a man" are not very helpful here and should be reflected on carefully. It would be a shame if such a sentence were to hinder a fulfilling career.

Tips for women

• Review your professional and private goals.
• Look for a mentor who will accompany you on your journey.
• Take a look at your limiting beliefs in order to recognize unconscious negative mechanisms and transform them into something positive.
• Work with a coach on your own personality and your goals.

Men and women need and want to engage more and more in dialog to find out what the opposite sex actually thinks, what they need and what they don't need - there are too many reservations and fears. In the 21st century, it really should be possible to look to a future together in which gender plays no role.

The author

© Carolin Zeller

Carolin Zeller was born in Heidelberg in 1966. Growing up with the sentence: "You're a girl and you don't need to study", she did not initially pursue a particular career. It was only during her one-year stay in the USA that she became interested in coaching and personal development. As a mother of 2 children, she knows the challenges of balancing family and career.

After 26 years at the IT company SAP, the last 13 of which as a personnel developer, leadership trainer and coach, she broke new ground and followed her passion for coaching, working with women (in leadership positions) and designing development journeys for managers. She works at Leadership Choices as a freelance coach and develops tailor-made programs for women and leadership journeys. Together with a colleague, she runs women's seminars for more self-confidence and self-esteem.