Global corporations could be missing out on top female talent in their boardrooms because of more women choosing family life or consultancy work over a top-flight career, a survey has found.
According to research carried out by headhunters Moira Benigson Executive Search, some women are choosing, albeit reluctantly, to leave the fast moving consumer goods (FMCG) sector when they are at the top of their game.
The survey questioned women within the FMCG sector, about their experiences and asked why there is a low number of women in board positions.
Companies within the FMCG sector usually attract many female employees and run management development companies to encourage them.
Some of the reasons suggested were the "inner inhibitor" - many women choose family over "stratospheric success", out-dated attitudes towards women with children, inflexible work arrangements and a drain of senior women into consultancy, or out of the sector altogether.
The survey asked women about the most significant influences on their career. Whilst some suggested changes like a move from sales into marketing, or an inspirational boss, almost all of the mothers questioned answered "children".
It also found that large companies are losing 10-15 years of experience to areas such as consultancy work. Many women said the price of a seat on the board was too high if it involved spending little or no time with their children and partners.
Moira Benigson said: "Why would you want to work in the restricted world of a large, international corporation if you are a woman with a family?
"Global brands demand seemingly endless days spent travelling far from home, missing important family milestones. It is no surprise that for many senior women, the prospect of working for smaller, even niche, companies where they can make a real difference without sacrificing their families is appealing."
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