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Professional women are more enthusiastic than men about measures such as pay equity, flexible work schedules and family leave policies designed to improve gender equality in workplace, according to research from FTI Consulting and Mine the Gap.
Nearly 6,000 professionals in technology, healthcare, law, energy and financial sectors participated in the survey.
It found enthusiasm gaps of 22 percent in support for comprehensive healthcare coverage, 21 percent for minimum six-weeks maternity leave, and 18 percent in competitive pay equity for each career level.
The research also measured enthusiasm gaps between various professions. For instance, nearly half (47 percent) of women in technology consider gender balance "absolutely important" while only a third of women in energy say the same.
Elizabeth Alexander, senior managing director in FTI's strategic communications unit, noted a key takeaway: "Because corporate decision-makers still statistically tend to be men, a gender enthusiasm gap for inclusive workplace policies means that ideas and initiatives to help keep a company viable and profitable in today's world may be slow to start or stall altogether."
She said the results show a knowledge and awareness gap between companies and staffers about policies and initiatives. "Frequent, engaging and authentic communications with employees at all levels is vital to maximizing talent retaining valuable personnel and minimizing potential for legal action."
The "Enthusiasm Gap at Work" report is available at https://gender.fticommunications.com.
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