Familial responsibilities, gender bias and insufficient funding continue to harm the upwards trajectory of women in the business sector.
Ireland’s largest organisation for the support and professional development of women, Network Ireland, has released the results of a survey which explored the issues impacting women in the workplace. The results were released yesterday (25 September) ahead of its annual National Conference, which took place today.
Via an online survey, Network Ireland collected data from 99 women, 60pc of whom have more than 20 years of experience and 75pc who have more than 11 years of experience. What was discovered is that a high proportion of women in the workplace are negatively affected by social and professional challenges.
For example, half of those who responded explained that they have had to turn down a career or business opportunity due to childcare and other familial obligations. 70pc were also of the opinion that, for women in business, there is insufficient access to funding.
Network Ireland’s survey also highlighted a clear bias when it comes to how women are perceived in the workplace. 63pc reported experiencing negative attitudes due to gender and nearly 70pc said that they often feel as though they are not taken as seriously as their male counterparts.
Commenting, Amy O’Sullivan, the national president of Network Ireland, explained that Ireland has, in recent years, made great strides to tackle the issues created by gender equality, particularly in relation to decreasing gender gaps in pay and on boards. However, she further explained that the barriers still remain.
“Network Ireland has over 1,300 members in every corner of Ireland. Many of them are running their own businesses, and this is where we still see stark divides,” said O’Sullivan.
“Our members continue to have to make tough decisions between family responsibilities and driving their business forward and are struggling to access the same investor networks that their male counterparts can. While barriers remain, there is a lot to be positive about for women in business in Ireland.
“Our National Conference is an opportunity for our members, who represent all sectors, to network, to share their stories, hear from and inspire each other. They will hear from leading figures in business in Ireland and we hope that they will leave the conference with a renewed sense of positivity about the opportunities for growing their businesses and professional careers.”
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