Survey: a generation not participating in the recession
I've been posting about generational divides lately, and contested a viewpoint that today's younger generations would be forever cowed by the recent recession. Now, a new survey out of Accenture points to one younger segment of the workforce that seems to be looking right past the gloomy headlines and are positive about their career prospects --"Millennial" women in the 22 to 35 age bracket.
The survey of 1,000 female professionals finds that while 59% said they were somewhat negatively affected by the recent downturn, optimism prevails. About 70% reported that they believe they will be successful, and one-third of these young female professionals said they believe they will reach the top of their professions.
Millennial women want work-life balance as part of that success as well. At least 94% believe they can achieve such balance, and say this is a critical management skill. When asked to list typical qualities of a successful female business leader, 70% cited “maintains work/life balance,” followed by flexibility (66%).
They cite medical benefits and flexible hours (reported by 63% and 50%, respectively) as drivers of professional success, more so than classes and training for professional advancement (37%).
Millennial women were divided on whether they would give up personal time for more money or money for more personal time, Accenture reports. Almost half (46%) said they would be willing to give up some of their salary if it meant spending more time on personal life, while slightly more than half (54%) said they would be willing to give up time spent on their personal life for more income.
A lot of barriers have come down for women in the workforce over the past two decades, but gender barriers remain, Accenture adds. According to respondents, ongoing gender obstacles include a corporate culture that favors men, general stereotypes/ preconceptions and sexism (reported by 28%, 26% and 22%, respectively).
This post was originally published on Smartplanet.com