The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) says the chartered surveying profession is losing qualified experienced women to careers with more ‘family friendly’ hours.
Research carried out by RICS suggests that the reasons for leaving the profession varied according to gender.
The research showed that 43% of women left because the hours and conditions were inflexible with the need to look after children.
This was followed by 39% citing the need to spend more time with family and 20% reporting restricted career progress and lack of opportunity.
In comparison 40% of male counterparts pointed to the pull of new work, 26% to restricted career progress and lack of opportunity and 23% citing poor pay/dissatisfaction with salary.
Research director at Kingston University, Louise Ellison, says there remains a strong perception amongst women trying to return to surveying that flexible conditions are simply not available to them.
“Contrary to the myth that women leave surveying to have a family and then stop work, they are moving into other employment sectors.
“The drop-out rate amongst women surveyors after age 40 is known, but until now we didn’t understand why they were leaving.”
Many women surveyors are retraining as teachers or taking administrative roles to fit family responsibilities in around work.
RICS Chief Executive Louis Armstrong said: “This is about wasted potential at a time when surveying firms need all the skills and experience they can get in a flourishing market.
“If well-educated, experienced women surveyors are working below their potential in other industries and sectors because they have not been able to make surveying fit with family life, we need to re-examine the best ways to help them back to work.”
References: EGi News 29/11/06
