profile of respondents

► 806 managers responded from 22 organisations

► 5 focus groups

► 13% of respondents from public sector, 82% from private sector,

4% from education sector

► 64% of respondents were male and 36% female

► 70% of women and 85% of men married/cohabiting

► 43% of women and 71% of men have children

► 2% of the respondents considered themselves to have a disability

► 4% of the respondents come from a Black or minority ethnic group

► 15 diversity professionals responded, a response rate of 68%

employers have not yet made a convincing business case

► 92% of managers believe that they understand their organisation’s values and policies on gender equality/diversity

► 46% of managers believe that their employer has made the case to them for the importance of gender equality/diversity to the effectiveness and success of their organisation

resources invested by my organisation will bring following benefits

different perceptions

► 93% of women and 81% of men consider women to have valuable leadership skills

► 90% of women and 76% of men consider that women bring a unique perspective to decision making and problem solving

failure to make business case credible

► 87% believe understanding and implementing organisations gender equality/diversity policies is important to their management skills

► 62% of managers believe that their organisation views this as important to their success as a manager

► 83% of managers consider their accountability for meeting their own and their organisation's gender equality/diversity objectives an important influence on their behaviour

► 26% have equality/diversity-related objectives in their personal objectives

► Performance on these goals is linked to remuneration for just 10% of managers

senior leaders

► 80% of managers view the behaviour of senior managers as an important influence on their behaviour

But there is a gender gap:

► 87% of male managers believe that their senior leadership demonstrate through their behaviour that they are committed to equality and diversity

► 67% of female managers believe this

► 15% of male managers considered a lack of senior commitment to equality and diversity as an important barrier to equality

► 29% of women believe this

line managers - hurdles to applying good gender equality/diversity principles

diversity professionals – hurdles managers face

management responsibility

Support from above…

► Only 8% of women and 2% of men view a lack of support from their own line manager as a hurdle to applying good gender equality/diversity principles

► But 60% of diversity professionals view this as a hurdle to managers

► Face-to-face briefings from their own managers are the least used way to communicate information about gender equality/diversity vision, values and policies to managers; organisations prefer to put this on the intranet

► Only 56% of managers claim that their own manager offers guidance and support on managing flexible working

► 88% consider support from their line manager to be the most helpful strategy employers could offer to managers dealing with flexible working issues

management responsibility

Communicating down…

► The most popular means of communicating equality and diversity values and polices is through their behaviour and through face-to-face briefings with their team

► However, only 58% of managers considered that they are responsible for doing this at all

► 80% of diversity professionals believe that managers are responsible for doing this

responsibility

► 31% of managers believe that they are not responsible for communicating information about equality and diversity to their staff

► 11% do not know whether they are or not

knowledge

19% do not believe that they have a good understanding of the law relating to employment, discrimination and flexible working

accountability…

goals, appraisals and remuneration

influence of accountability?

► 82% of managers believe that accountability for meeting their own/their organisations goals and objectives is an important influence on them

► 67% of diversity professionals think it is important

factors which influence manager’s behaviour re gender equality and diversity

training and development

Managers consider training and development important:

► Learning and development opportunities are ranked by managers as the second most useful method of support which is offered by their employer

► 78% of managers consider learning and development as an important influence on their decision-making with regard to equality and diversity.

But some managers have not had training opportunities in the last 2 years:

► Learning and development ranked as only the fourth most frequently offered method of support to managers.

line managers - days training in the last 2 years

specific training needs

► Managers need better training to deal with instances of bullying and harassment

► 74% of male managers and 59% of female managers feel that they have had sufficient training to handle an instance of bullying and harassment in their team

► 21% of female and 14% of male managers have witnessed instances of bullying and harassment in their team in the last 12 months

► 16% of women and 8% of men have experienced bullying and harassment themselves in the last 12 months

► 17% of women and 7% of men considered bullying and harassment a barrier to equality in their organisation

specific training needs

Managers need better training to manage flexible working

► 72% of both male and female managers indicated that they would find this sort of learning and development helpful

► 63% of diversity professionals claim that their organisations offer this training but just 25% of managers think that this is the case

line managers – what you employer provides to

help you manage flexible working

work life balance?

► 75% of managers work over 45 hours a week and 18% work over 60 hours a week

► Women often work shorter hours: 63% work over 45 hours compared with 83% of men

• 73% of women consider women’s need to balance work and family as a barrier to equality compared with 46% of men

• 57% believe that the perception that women are less committed to work due to family responsibility is a barrier to equality compared with 19% of men

where is the pressure coming from?

► 55% of managers feel able to balance work and personal commitments

► 64% of managers agree that their manager supports their efforts to balance work and their personal life

► 80% of managers are happy that they are able to support the efforts of those working for them to balance their work and personal commitments

diversity professionals see it differently

► 53% of diversity professional believe that managers are just not interested in equality and diversity, compared with 3% of managers

► 78% of managers believe they understand how to apply best practice. 80% of diversity professionals believe less than half of managers do

► 93% of diversity professionals believe the behaviour of fellow managers is an important influence on managers decision making compared with 67% of managers

► 82% of managers consider accountability and important influence compared with 67% of diversity professionals

recommendations

► Develop local diversity structures► Use performance management► Measure success► Put competencies in recruitment and selection as well as

appraisal and promotion► Leadership► Gender champions ► Role models for senior women► Role models for work life balance► Communication► Learning and development► Help managers to manage within the law ► Help mangers to manage flexible working

thank you

Judith Cherry5 October 2005

line managers – support they would find most useful

line managers – support they would find most useful