Originally from our sister publication, Advisor.ca.
The vast majority (95%) of female execs say raising children has provided them with unique skills that help them succeed, says a survey by Korn/Ferry Institute. These talents include heightened confidence and the ability to motivate and inspire others.
“Parenthood offers a world of training in psychology, time management and diplomacy that can easily be applied to business,” says Kathy Woods, senior partner at Korn/Ferry Leadership and Talent Consulting.
And while raising children does require extra take time and effort, technology has made it easier for women to hold dual roles as both executive and parent, adds Wood. Most respondents (80%) agree that technology allows them to balance work and family life.
Despite the advantages of technology, however, almost half of professional women (45%) believe having children has impacted their career. Another 8% believe motherhood has limited their career progression to a great extent.
Further, some have either postponed (19%) or decided not to have children (10%) because of the current status of their careers.
Women still hold less than 15% of corporate executive positions at organizations globally, says Korn/Ferry. Also, a pay gap still exists, with women earning 25% less than their male counterparts in the C-suite.
Such disparities remain despite the fact that women executives possess valuable and difficult-to-develop attributes, which can help boost corporate performance.
The future may be brighter though; the findings suggest females graduating in 2025 will have more career-advancement opportunities than today’s working mothers.