Gender equality in Swedish workplaces

Sweden is well known for progressive government policies and regularly tops global rankings for gender equality. However, prevailing traditional attitudes continue to limit opportunities for women in the workplace according to Swedish non-profit, AllBright.

Earlier this year Sweden was named the best country for women in a survey of over 9,000 women by US News, and 2016 saw Sweden at number one in Save the Children’s Girls’ Opportunity Index. Swedish government policies to address gender disparity include generous paid parental leave for both parents, subsidized childcare, and a Discrimination Act obliging employers to “actively pursue specific goals to promote equality between men and women.”

Nevertheless, research carried out by AllBright reveals that there is a long way to go in achieving equality in the workplace. More than 80% of managerial positions at Swedish companies were held by men in 2016, and none of the new start-ups on the stock exchange that year had a female director. Chief executive of AllBright, Amanda Lundeteg, believes that these statistics are a result of “stereotypes and privileges that will take time to break down.”

In an article for IZA World of Labor, Nina Smith states that “family-friendly policies do not help women move into top management positions or onto boards of directors unless they are gender-neutral in operation.” By implementing “gender-neutral family policies and quotas for fathers in parental leave schemes,” governments can address “the broader task of getting a more equal gender division of careers within the family.” Tackling societal attitudes and stereotypes around gender in this way could be the answer to achieving gender diversity at company management and board level.

Find more articles on the gender divide here.