BCC News: BCC launches three-year gender equity campaign
The British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) worked with leading panel provider Find Out Now to conduct a landmark survey of more than 4,100 respondents in February 2023. The research found that two thirds of women feel they have missed out on career progression because of childcare responsibilities.
The survey, the first of its kind from the BCC, looks at the perceived impact childcare, general caring responsibilities and menopause have on a person’s career, as well as the support available to those impacted by the issues.
Childcare
Two-thirds (67%) of female respondents who have had childcare responsibilities in the last 10 years felt they missed out on career progression as a result. This includes career development, pay rises and/or promotions. For male respondents who have had childcare responsibilities, 35% believed they missed out.
Almost two-thirds (62%) of female respondents said they would prefer to take time from paid work for childcare responsibilities, compared to 55% of male respondents.
General caring responsibilities
77% of male respondents believe there is not sufficient support available for people with non-paid caring responsibilities for elderly or disabled relatives or friends. This figure increases to 86% for female respondents.
For those who have had caring responsibilities in the last 10 years, an equal proportion (52%) of males and female respondents felt they missed out on career progression as a result of their duties.
Menopause
Almost three quarters (74%) of female respondents feel there is not sufficient support for those experiencing menopause.
One in three (34%) female respondents who have gone through menopause felt that it impacted their career negatively.
However, there is a higher level of concern about the impact of menopause on a woman’s career amongst those who are yet to experience it. Almost half(43%) of female respondents believe they will miss out on career opportunities due to menopause.
Levelling Up for Women in the Workplace
The BCC is committed to facing these challenges head on by levelling up forwomen in the workplace, through an urgent three-year Chamber campaign.
The campaign will be based on a three-point plan, to include:
- Short-term action: Convene employment experts, Chamber CEOs and employers to create a Chamber Workplace Equity Commission.
- Medium-term work: The commission to analyse research findings and case studies, to develop policies for Government and best practices for businesses enshrining equity in the workplace.
- Long-term goal: Re-run the same survey with the aim of moving the dial on the findings we are publishing today.
To see the data tables this release relates to, click here: BCC IWD research.