The pandemic has completely transformed our economy and our various work environments. The crisis has hit women particularly hard. Millions of them had to quit their jobs or go part-time, or were simply laid off, due to the nature of their work or the economic sector in which they worked. As a result, companies find themselves with far fewer women in management positions or on the path to becoming future leaders. This will only exacerbate a situation that already existed. According to a study by McKenzie,3 although 50% of entry-level positions in the Canadian organizations surveyed by this firm are held by women, this percentage falls to 31% in vice-president positions and to 14% in CEO positions, as illustrated in the chart below.
Notably, there are measures “to help women lessen the career and financial impacts of unpaid parental leave and part-time work”4 , as women are still more likely than men to experience this kind of professional situation, which constitutes a barrier to their advancement. Companies cannot risk losing more women in management positions. The report proposed here will provide an overview of the situation at these different levels, encourage senior management to set gender diversity targets for each level and inform all stakeholders of the strategies that will be implemented to ensure a strong business recovery, especially after the health crisis comes to an end.