Press Release No. 07/2014 IG Metall Study: Women Still Disadvantaged in the Workplace/High Labor Force Participation Rate Is Misleading

Frankfurt am Main – Even in 2014, women in Germany still do not consider themselves to be on an equal footing. That is the finding of a recent study by IG Metall released ahead of tomorrow’s International Women’s Day. According to the study, 84 percent of the women surveyed believe that there are still areas of society in which they are disadvantaged. Even among men, 72 percent of those surveyed share this view. The study notes that discrimination is particularly pronounced in the workplace, especially regarding pay and leadership positions in the business sector.

“The high employment rate among women in Germany is misleading in this context,” said Christiane Benner, executive board member of IG Metall. “The raw number of working women says nothing about the quality of their jobs. It is no coincidence that two-thirds of the more than seven million people in mini-jobs are women. This structural discrimination against women is one of the greatest sociopolitical and economic challenges facing our country. Half of our population has limited career options, poorer opportunities for advancement, lower incomes, and smaller pensions—solely because of their gender. A society that is discussing social justice, poverty in old age, and the shortage of skilled workers cannot afford to allow this to happen.”

According to the study, the biggest problem remains the lack of work-life balance. 71 percent believe that children continue to be a stumbling block for women in the workforce. According to the study, the most important measures to support women in the workforce are more family-friendly work schedules (85%), better childcare (84%), more part-time opportunities (79%), and the option to temporarily reduce weekly working hours (71%).

“Often, the only way for women to balance work and family is still a low-paying mini-job,” said Benner. “We need a three-pronged approach in companies: better work-life balance, greater equality of opportunity, and greater pay equity. This requires a cultural shift within companies. If we succeed in finally eliminating the discrimination against women, we will not only close a gap in fairness—we will also inject new momentum into our labor market and our economy as a whole.”