Chances of promotion rated higher by unmarried workers

Unmarried employees, both male and female, believe they have a better chance of promotion than their married counterparts, according to the results of a study published by the National Statistics Office yesterday.

The figures, launched at a conference at the Le Meridien Phoenicia Hotel in Floriana, show that 44 per cent of single men and 41 per cent of single women believe they stand a chance of promotion. But the figures dropped to 32 per cent for married men and 27 per cent for married women.

The NSO survey, called Perceived Obstacles For The Participation Of Women In Decision-Making, was commissioned by the National Council of Women through a Unesco project.

It revealed that double the percentage of women than men believe they were in line for a promotion in less than a year.

For three-quarters of men, a promotion was enticing mainly because it would lead to a better salary. While 54 per cent of women said they were looking for a better pay package, 46 per cent said they wanted a promotion because of job satisfaction.

The study found that child responsibilities are perceived by both sexes as the major obstacle to women obtaining a decision-making or managerial post. However, slightly more employed mothers are interested in being promoted than those without children. On the other hand, 11 per cent of women without children believe they will actually get a promotion, compared to seven per cent of mothers.

The second most commonly mentioned obstacle was the lack of partner support, which was pointed out more by women than by men. However, more men mentioned family responsibilities as an obstacle to women taking up decision-making posts.

For women, long hours were also perceived as having more of an impact than in the case of men.

Almost three-quarters of respondents believe there should be a balance between men and women in Parliament. Those who disagreed said men were more suitable for the job of MP.

Still, the vast majority said gender was not an issue when voting. Nor does gender factor in with regard to the Office of the President.

National Council of Women president Doreen Micallef said equality between the sexes in decision-making posts was important for such decisions to be feasible. She said women have demonstrated considerable leadership.

Vice president Grace Attard highlighted the importance of having structures in place to give women the opportunity to participate in decision-making posts.