Women’s job prospects may be bolstered by new report

Just like men, many women try to get the very most from their careers. One way of doing this is to enrol on training programmes such as Sage courses and payroll courses. However, it is generally acknowledged that female workers often remain at a disadvantage compared with their male counterparts in terms of securing the best roles, pay and conditions.

However, efforts are being made to address this. For example, a review led by Lord Davies entitled Women in the Boardroom has suggested that firms should voluntarily adopt targets in order to achieve a minimum of 25 per cent female representation in boardrooms within the next four years.

The report also called for targets to be set for 2013 and 2015 to ensure that more talented and gifted women can enter top jobs in UK companies.Welcoming the suggestions, Jackie Orme, chief executive of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development, said his ideas mark the start of a process.

She added: “It is the right start, but everyone involved in the governance of British firms now needs to step back and recognise that there needs to be a fundamental shift in established perceptions of what a great board member looks like.
“That is the only way we will ensure we get to and beyond the 20 per cent target swiftly and in a sustainable way.”

Ms Orme went on to claim that having more diverse boards is advantageous. She remarked: “I know that a range of opinions, backgrounds and perspectives is always better than what is often referred to as ‘group think’.”However, she went on to state that she also knows there remain some “severely entrenched” attitudes in many boardrooms.Some of the women keen to advance their own prospects in an immediate way may be considering investing in Sage courses and payroll courses.