Working women in Poland: Breaking the glass ceiling

Women in business often find themselves staring at an invisible yet unyielding barrier – the infamous glass ceiling. It’s a metaphor for the unseen obstacles that prevent people from reaching top leadership positions, no matter how qualified they might be. While cracks are forming in the barrier, true equality remains a work in progress.

Poland’s business sector is making strides toward gender equality, but a recent study by Hays Poland, Women in the Workplace 2024, highlights lingering disparities. While women dominate mid-level roles, they’re still underrepresented in top decision-making positions – a trend mirroring broader European challenges. Here’s what the numbers say and – why it matters.

The executive leadership gap – It’s very lonely (and manly) at the top

Despite women holding 60% of roles in finance and accounting, only 28% reach executive positions like CEO or managing director. Though this marks an 8% year-over-year increase, it’s still far from parity. Comparatively, Poland’s overall corporate landscape is even starker: just 18.4% of board seats in the 140 largest companies listed on the Warsaw Stock Exchange at the end of 2024 were held by women, as per the data from 30% Club Poland.

Poland’s silver lining: A leader in female managers

There’s good news: Poland ranks 3rd in the EU for women in management roles, trailing only Latvia and Sweden, according to Eurostat data. Hays Poland’s survey reinforces this: 46% of respondents report having a female direct supervisor. However, a curious pattern emerges: women leaders often manage female-majority teams (78%), while male managers oversee more gender balanced groups. This could reflect a bias – or that men lack trust in women’s leadership authority.

Job satisfaction: Women want more

Women in finance are less satisfied with their roles than men (62% vs. 74%). This is particularly notable in finance and accounting – female-dominated sectors (with women making up approximately 60% of employees). The issue here is the position: many women feel stuck in supportive specialist roles rather than strategic positions shaping company futures. This dissatisfaction echoes broader, global workplace trends, where women seek greater influence and recognition.

The bumpy road to equality: What’s the next stop?

While progress is being made, Poland’s job market must continue addressing structural barriers that limit women’s career advancement. With this in mind, organizations should:

• Foster leadership development programs tailored for women.
• Address unconscious biases in hiring and promotion decisions.
• Encourage more women to take on strategic roles beyond support functions.
• Promote workplace cultures that actively support gender balance at all levels of management.

Such initiatives can ensure that women in Poland will get closer to – if not to breaking the glass ceiling altogether – then at least to giving it a good solid whack.