Women gain leadership positions in the Brazilian job market

Manaus (AM) — In a global context where gender inequality still persists, Brazil is beginning to witness significant change. Recently, a GrantThorton survey revealed notable progress: 38% of leadership and management positions in the country are now held by women, a considerable increase compared to the 25% recorded in 2019. These numbers not only reflect an evolution in the market mentality of work, but also highlight the growing appreciation of female skills.

The upward trend is corroborated by Panorama Mulheres 2023, conducted by Talenses Group. The study shows that, in 2023, 17% of presidents in the companies analyzed were women, compared to just 8% in 2017. Likewise, on boards of directors, female representation jumped from 10% in 2017 to 21% in 2023, showing a gradual advance in gender equality in the corporate environment.

Although women still occupy less space than men, there are success stories regarding the female presence in strategic positions in companies. One example is the Sabin Group, one of the main diagnostic medicine and health companies in the country. Founded by biochemists Janete Vaz and Sandra Costa in 1984, the company today has a woman as executive president, biochemist Lídia Abdalla.

Furthermore, 77.14% of the workforce is made up of women. 74.76% of leadership positions are occupied by them, almost double the percentage observed by GrantThorton in the country (38%).

For Lídia Abdalla, the increase in female representation in the job market, especially in strategic positions, demonstrates the search for equity in companies. “These data reflect not only the talent and capabilities of women, but also a significant step towards gender equality in the corporate world”, says she, who started at Sabin as a trainee before rising to executive director, ten years ago. .

Challenges

The achievements achieved to date are a reason for celebration and recognition of the progress that has been made towards equal opportunities in the corporate environment. However, there are still challenges to be overcome.

President-director and one of the founders of the Technical Education Center (Centec), in Manaus, Eliana Cássia de Souza began entrepreneurship in the educational area in 1991, more than 30 years ago. She says that the main challenges at the beginning revolved around the difficulty in reconciling her routine as a businesswoman, mother and wife. A reality experienced by many women today.

“Women occupy more and more management positions, working eight hours a day outside the home, and then need to manage their home, take care of their children, for example. That was my biggest challenge, balancing all these roles. We still don’t have a fair division of domestic tasks between men and women and this ends up weighing on our side”,

evaluate.

In addition to Eliana, the main positions at the school are also the CEO Juliana Nakano and the general director, Driele Cazumba. “I can say that women’s greatest skills are in behavioral skills, which are something that is highly sought after by the market. I’m talking about emotional intelligence, empathy, focus on results and a collaborative attitude, among other skills”, she comments.

Training

In addition to excelling in behavioral skills, women tend to have more studies compared to men. The 2019 Professional Survey, by the consultancy Catho, revealed that 30% of women have higher education and postgraduate degrees. Men are 24%. Despite this, they earn up to 52% less than them, even if they perform the same function.

Purchasing manager for Grupo Tapajós, a leading company in the pharmaceutical sector in the North region, Gisselli Warpuchank talks about the pride of occupying the space and highlights the importance of women seeking qualifications.

“Being in this position is, at the same time, a source of pride and a challenge. The big difference is having experience and knowledge in the position you hold. In view of this, your professionalism breaks down any barrier”,

says Gisselli.

The company she works for also deviates from the Brazilian standard when it comes to female presence in strategic spaces. Data from the Human Resources sector of the Tapajós Group reveal that more than half (57.44%) of the workforce is made up of women. When you look at leadership positions, they go even further: they make up 68.87% of leaders.

Studies already indicate that attention to gender equality could not only benefit women, but also positively impact companies’ production. According to a report by the McKinsey institute, a global consultancy, up to US$12 trillion could be added to the world’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by 2025, with the advancement of equality between men and women.

*With information from consultancy

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