• The Public sector has more women overall than other industries, but the pipeline is still very leaky. There are 58% women in non-management vs. 23% in top management.
• The typical promotion in the Public sector goes to employees who are Swiss, male, between the ages of 31 and 40, and have a tertiary degree. Female promotion rates are particularly scarce for lowest and lower management, though many external recruits for these positions are women in the 31 to 40 age group.
• In the Public sector, women reduce their employment percentage more during “family primetime” than in other industries, all while a large share of promotions happens during ages 31 to 40. Part-time hinders the chance of being promoted. While only 45% of employees work full-time, 60% of all promotions go to full-time employees (though working 80%-99% poses almost no disadvantage).
• One reason women don’t make it to the top is that these positions entail long tenures of incumbents (the vast majority are older and male). Over 60% of middle and top management men are over 50 years old, and more than 16% are over 60. This means that male senior managers are likely to retire soon, an opportunity to equalize the gender distribution.

Underutilized talent potential in the Public sector

Do long-serving male incumbents “block” middle and top management positions?

One possible explanation is the combination of age and tenure time for those in top leadership positions. Over 60% of middle and top management men are over 50 years old, and more than 16% are over 60. These numbers are considerably higher than the average of all industries. The average tenures in leadership positions are also considerably longer, particularly for men. This length of tenure indicates that key leadership positions simply do not open up, representing a blockage in the talent pipeline. This presents a great opportunity, too. As these male leaders are going to retire soon, positions can be filled with diverse candidates (who champion inclusion).

On the other hand, the most significant drop in women’s representation happens between non-management and lowest or lower management, which means that women are already less likely to advance before the “blockage” in middle and top management.

Internal pipeline management favors men

Compared to the share of 58% in non-management, a share of 45% for women in promotions to lowest/lower management is low, though it slightly raises the percentage of women in springboard positions. The typical employee making a move into management in the Public sector is Swiss, male, between the ages of 31 and 40, and has a tertiary degree.

Conversely, women are more strongly represented in new hires into management.

Overview Public sector

The largest percentage of all management promotions is awarded to employees between 31 and 40 years old. In this age bracket, men are more than twice as likely to be promoted. Interestingly, the share of women and men promoted past the age of 40 is very balanced.

Regarding middle and top management, both internal development and external recruitment contribute to increasing the share of women.

So, why do lowest and lower management promotions stand out rather negatively?

“Family prime time” is holding women back

These promotions fall squarely into the “family prime time,” when women in springboard positions (lowest and lower management) as well as non-management reduce their employment percentages considerably, while men’s stay the same. The difference in employment percentage by gender around “family prime time” is particularly pronounced in the Public sector. Though family-friendly, life-cycle-oriented working models are attractive for diverse employees and especially those with care responsibilities, they can have a negative impact if part-time work is an obstacle to career progression – from a gender diversity perspective it is especially challenging if it is primarily women who work part-time.

Particularly striking: While only 45% of employees work full-time, 60% of all promotions go to full-time employees (though the disadvantage only occurs once employees work below 80%). Traditional conceptions of work and parenthood prevent women from advancing internally in the Public sector, more so than in other industries.

Recommendations: Rethinking future leadership

As 16% of male middle and top managers in the Public sector are over 60 years old, the time to plan what future leadership will look like (in terms of diversity and inclusion skills) is now. This planning is crucial as certain part-time penalties and a traditional conception of career seem to prevail. What can Public sector organizations do?

• Rethink part-time and leadership: Consider why part-time seems difficult in higher management levels, even though it is common in lower management. What potential future leaders are you missing out on because of employment percentages?
• Plan to build the leadership teams you want: Announcements for key positions should always be made internally first. In meetings, managers and HR discuss who could be considered for which key positions, based on transparent criteria, where diversity and inclusion are front and center. This planning is essential with the expected wave of baby boomer retirements. Strategic succession planning is particularly key as many incumbent leaders will likely retire in the next few years.
• Train the next generation and lighten the load for leaders: Use leadership tandems to pair senior leaders with diverse junior talents. This allows a less experienced person to gain leadership experience and develop leadership skills while the more experienced expert is freed from leadership tasks. This way, you can also ensure that knowledge is shared NOW, so it won’t be lost as baby boomer leaders retire in the coming years.
• “Share the care” to change norms around leadership: Implement gender-equitable parental leave and support policies and encourage men to make use of them. Highlight male leaders who work less than full time and take on family care responsibilities as role models. This helps even the playing field in the key career years and shift perspective on who is considered a future leader.  

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