The term "female empowerment" has become increasingly important in recent years. It is primarily about strengthening the self-determination and independence of women. However, despite the progress made so far, much remains to be done. To strengthen the topic's transparency at K-Recruiting and to create awareness, a Female Empowerment Project Group was initiated. Bettina Viktoria Arndt heads the project group and shares with us in an interview her personal opinion and experiences, both professional and private. She has made an impressive career in the last 5 years and today works as an Executive Key Account Manager for pharmaceutical companies at K-Recruiting.

What does female empowerment mean to you? And why do you think it is important in today's society?

For me, female empowerment means that women support and empower each other. It is about creating a larger platform in order to be heard and to achieve equal opportunities and self-determination in society. I come from a family with many strong women, my mother has four sisters and I have nine female cousins. Growing up, my parents always told me that I could achieve anything I wanted, no matter whom I became. It's important to me that we continue to push for female empowerment, while also ensuring that men don't feel marginalized or left out.

How do you engage professionally and personally?

I have always been supportive of women in my professional and personal life. I enjoy being a mentor to colleagues and try to support them in achieving their goals. In my personal life, I encourage and support my friends, whether it's with their career decisions or personal challenges. At K-Recruiting, I am the leader of the Female Empowerment Project Group, where we work on different projects such as “Women and Finance”.

Why is this topic so important to you? What personal experiences have you had in your life?

I've always lacked a few female role models, as I've mostly only had male mentors or managers.

Also, I would have liked to have someone early on to advise me, "Hey, start setting aside your money early, even if it's only 50 EUR at the beginning." That's why I try to pass on such topics to young female colleagues as early as possible.

How do you assess the development in society? Would you say we have already achieved something in the past, and what lies ahead?

There has been progress in recent years, but there is still a long way to go to achieve true equality. Also, in terms of the job, women should receive the same salary for the same job.

And on the subject of children: in today's world, women are having children later and later because studies and careers are important to us and we want to earn money first before we start planning for children. Biologically, however, this can be difficult and present us with challenges. It is a fact that when you have a child, you are absent for a longer period. This also makes you dependent in terms of retirement planning. There's an extreme imbalance there. This is biologically predetermined and is not yet sufficiently supported by employers and politics.

Are you hopeful that things will improve? Or do we need time to create a structure before we can even begin?

I am very hopeful that things will change, but I am also realistic. It can take many years or even decades to achieve true gender equality. We are the generation that is currently making these changes. I see many strong and dedicated women in my social circle who are committed to making a difference. However, hard work and a change in mindset are necessary.

In Germany, only 29% of women work in leadership positions (as of 2021). In comparison, Germany performs relatively poorly, while Scandinavian countries, such as Sweden, stand out in statistics with around 40% of women in leadership positions. Do you have an idea of why this is the case?

In my view, there are possibly three factors that contribute to the fact that there are fewer women in leadership positions in Germany. First, there's the industry: Germany is dominated by the automotive industry, but also by banks, finance, and so on. These are industries that have traditionally tended to be dominated by men. The second factor is politics: Scandinavia has an excellent social system that includes daycare places. This makes it easier for parents to take their children to daycare early and not worry about who will pick up the child at noon. The Kita places are free of charge and offer a good childcare ratio. The third point, which I have also experienced myself, is that gender equality between men and women is much more lived in Scandinavia. There, for example, it is customary for both genders to take turns paying for a drink because women earn as much as men.

The women's quota was introduced in 2016. Do you believe that the women's quota is a necessary means to achieve gender equality?

Personally, I would actually rather get away from a women's quota. Of course, it's important for women to get into leadership positions, but it shouldn't be forced. I often hear the statement: “We have to hire her because we need women in leadership”. This should not be done schematically on the basis of a quota. If a man is better at the job, then please select the man. We in the recruiting industry are the key and also the driver to give women exactly the same opportunities as men.

Do you have examples from your clients regarding female empowerment and equal opportunities?

In some Scandinavian companies, it is already a fixed KPI to have 60% women in leadership positions by the end of 2024. Parental leave replacements are always filled, so it is completely normal for the person to come back after a year. Many positions are also filled through a job-sharing model, where one person works in the morning and the other in the afternoon. In addition, there are usually salary bands, so women earn the same as men if they have the same position. Equality is widespread there.

What measures and initiatives are in place at K-Recruiting to support female empowerment and related topics?

At K-Recruiting, as already mentioned, there is the Female Empowerment Group, with which we want to create awareness and promote and challenge young female colleagues. Various topics and projects that we implement are, for example, "Women and Finance", "Women in Leadership", "Unconscious Bias" but also "Child and Career". Male colleagues are also part of the project group in order to create functioning models for the company. This includes job sharing or KPIs for mothers working part-time. When women return after maternity leave or parental leave, they should be able to do so without any problems. In addition, there are salary bands according to seniority and equal promotion criteria through uniform KPIs.

Do you think that a concrete change of mindset is still necessary to get closer to the goal, or does it already exist, and we are on the right track to implement it?

Yes, I would say there is already a change in thinking. But it is also a generational and industrial question. One important thing is just to "spread the word". Women should support each other and network. The more women support each other, the faster things will change.

Are there supportive measures that an employer should implement?

Yes, there are many. Especially when we talk about the topic of children and careers: Job sharing models, a daycare guarantee, daycare subsidy or days of sick pay when the child is sick. But also, salary bands and KPIs for equal promotion opportunities.

And as a final question: What advice would you give to women who aspire to a career in personnel services?

Not to make yourself so small. Instead, just do a good job, have fun talking to people, regardless of gender or background. But also, to be open and say what you want or don't want. And in no case to sell yourself short.