4 min read
Women in Leadership Positions: Progress and Challenges
In recent years, the proportion of women in German executive suites has risen steadily. According to a recent analysis by the audit and consulting firm EY, women made up 19.6 per cent of management board members across the 160 companies in the DAX group of listed companies as of 1 January 2025 – a record high. That means almost one in five board members is a woman. Even so, there are still clear differences between companies: while 63% of the groups have at least one woman on the management board, a considerable number of companies remain male-dominated.
Legal Requirements as a Driver
A key factor in this development is legislation. Since 2016, large listed companies in Germany have had to meet a women's quota of at least 30 per cent on their supervisory boards. In 2022 this rule was extended to management boards: in listed companies with parity co-determination and more than three board members, at least one woman must be represented.
However, associations such as "Frauen in die Aufsichtsräte" (Women on Supervisory Boards, Fidar) are calling for this rule to be extended. At present only a limited number of companies are subject to this obligation, so many large firms still have no women on their management boards. Fidar President Anja Seng stresses that although there has been progress, a genuine balance is still a long way off.
Gender Pay Gap: Inequality Persists
Despite the rising share of women in leadership positions, pay inequality between men and women persists. The so-called gender pay gap shows that, on average, women still earn less than their male colleagues.
According to the Federal Statistical Office (Destatis), the unadjusted gender pay gap in 2024 stood at 16%, down from 18% the year before. This means that women earned 16% less per hour than men on average. The decline is mainly due to the fact that women's gross monthly earnings rose by around 8% in 2024, while men's gross monthly earnings rose by only 5%.
Another factor behind the earnings gap is the higher proportion of women working part-time. While men worked an average of 149 hours a month in 2024, women worked only 122 hours – a difference of 18%. In addition, 73.6% of all women were in employment, compared with 80.8% of men. These differences meant that the so-called gender labour market gap ("Gender Gap Arbeitsmarkt"), a comprehensive indicator of earnings inequality, stood at 37% in 2024 (compared with 39% in 2023).
Prejudices and Distorted Perceptions
Although women demonstrably succeed in leadership roles, persistent prejudices continue to hold back their careers. One widespread myth, for example, is that "leadership is not possible part-time". This overlooks the fact that in many other countries there are successful models in which managers work part-time. Since two thirds of all women in Germany with children under 12 work part-time, this way of thinking effectively denies them access to leadership positions.
Another argument is that "women are too emotional to lead teams". This claim has no scientific basis and rests on outdated gender stereotypes. Studies show that men also act on emotion, but that this is often perceived differently. When male leaders make risky decisions, they are called visionary or bold – whereas women are seen as reckless or irrational for similar decisions.
Many men also argue that many women are already being promoted in their companies, so further measures are unnecessary. Experts warn, however, that equality is a continuous process and is not completed by one-off measures. The perception that men are now at a disadvantage cannot, in most cases, be backed up by figures – because in most companies more men than women are still being promoted.
The Women's Quota Works, but Much Remains to Be Done
According to Federal Minister for Family Affairs Lisa Paus, the legal requirements are having an effect: "Where there is a clear quota, it works. Where there is no clear quota, little changes." There is still a need for action, particularly in the private sector, as many companies voluntarily set no ambitious targets.
In summary: the proportion of women in leadership positions is at a historic high, but we are still far from genuine equality. Legal requirements have brought progress, but further measures are needed to achieve parity in German companies. Alongside more binding rules, what is needed above all is a cultural shift within companies, so that women are actively supported and the path to top positions is opened up for them in a lasting way.
Our Experience as Recruitment Consultants Shows: These Developments Are Not Just Theory
In our daily work as experts in recruitment, we have gained experience that partly confirms this. On the subject of part-time work in particular, we see that this model is especially in demand among women – often accompanied by a worry about whether it will be seen as a deal breaker in the application process. On salary, too, it is striking that women with the same experience often make lower salary demands than their male colleagues.
Sources:
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[https://www.ey.com/de_de/newsroom/2025/01/ey-mixed-leadership-barometer-25](https://www.linkedin.com/redir/redirect?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww%2Eey%2Ecom%2Fde_de%2Fnewsroom%2F2025%2F01%2Fey-mixed-leadership-barometer-25&urlhash=UpdQ&trk=article-ssr-frontend-pulse_little-text-block)
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[https://www.faz.net/aktuell/gesellschaft/menschen/sexismus-warum-frauen-noch-nicht-gleichberechtigt-sind-110326498.html](https://www.linkedin.com/redir/redirect?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww%2Efaz%2Enet%2Faktuell%2Fgesellschaft%2Fmenschen%2Fsexismus-warum-frauen-noch-nicht-gleichberechtigt-sind-110326498%2Ehtml&urlhash=p2s0&trk=article-ssr-frontend-pulse_little-text-block)
