Contents

Chapter 1: Introductory Part

1.1 Introduction.....................................................................................................................................2
1.2 Literature Review.............................................................................................................................3
1.3 Objectives of the study....................................................................................................................8
1.3.1 Broad objective.........................................................................................................................8
1.3.2 Specific objectives.....................................................................................................................8
1.4 Research Methodology....................................................................................................................9
1.4.1 Sample Size...............................................................................................................................9
1.4.2 Sampling Techniques................................................................................................................9
1.4.3 Scope of the study....................................................................................................................9
1.4.4 Instruments Used....................................................................................................................10
1.4.5 Data Analysis Tool...................................................................................................................10
1.5 Further Scope of the Study............................................................................................................10
1.6 Limitations of the Report...............................................................................................................11
Chapter 2: General Theoretical Aspects.........................................................................................12-29
2.1 Definition of Career and Its Development.....................................................................................12
2.2 Career Development......................................................................................................................13
2.2.1 Career Planning And Career Management..............................................................................14
2.2.2 Career Systems and Strategy...................................................................................................14
2.2.3 Stages In Career Development................................................................................................15
2.3. Roles in Career Development.......................................................................................................17
2.3.1. Individual's Role.....................................................................................................................18
2.3.2 Manager's Role.......................................................................................................................19
2.3.3. The Organization's Role..........................................................................................................20
2.3 Institutional Barriers That Influence Women Managers Career Progression................................22
2.3.1 Glass Ceiling (GC) And Women Managers Career Progression...............................................22
2.3.2 Written Policies.......................................................................................................................22
2.3.3 Selection Process....................................................................................................................22
2.3.4 Promotion...............................................................................................................................23
2.3.5 Globalization And The Female Limitations..............................................................................23
2.3.6 Participation in Social and Professional Events.......................................................................24
2.3.7 Networking.............................................................................................................................24
2.4 Personal Challenges.......................................................................................................................24
2.4.1 Family-Work Conflict...............................................................................................................24
2.4.2 Communication Style..............................................................................................................25
2.4.3 Challenging Assignments........................................................................................................26
2.4.4 Underrepresentation..............................................................................................................26
2.4.5 Gender Discrimination............................................................................................................26
2.5 Best Practices That Bring Equity.....................................................................................................27
2.5.1 Training and Development Opportunities...............................................................................27
2.5.2 Mentorship.............................................................................................................................28
2.5.3 Talent Management................................................................................................................28
2.5.4 Supportive and Collaborative Work Environment...................................................................28
2.5.5 Eliminating Negative Stereotype.............................................................................................29
Chapter 3: Interpretation and Analysis...........................................................................................30-47
3.1 Analysis of Demographic information............................................................................................30
3.2 Analysis of Information on Challenges and Priorities.....................................................................32
3.2.1 The Biggest Challenges Organizations Face Today..................................................................32
3.2.2 Important Areas Organizations Should Focus to ensure Career Development........................33
3.3 Interpretation and analysis on Career Development.....................................................................34
3.4 Interpretations and analysis of Descriptive Statistics.....................................................................41
Chapter 4: Findings & Recommendation....................................................................................48-53
4.1 Findings of the Study.....................................................................................................................48
4.1.1 Findings related to Demographic............................................................................................48
4.1.2 Findings related to Challenges and Priorities..........................................................................48
4.1.3 Findings related to career development.................................................................................48
4.1.4 Findings from Open Response................................................................................................50
4.2 Recommendations.........................................................................................................................51
4.2.1 Recommendations on Challenges and Priorities:....................................................................51
4.2.2 Recommendations on Career Development...........................................................................51
4.2.3 Open Recommendations........................................................................................................52
4.3 prioritization Matrix.......................................................................................................................53
Referrences54-55
No Name Of The Content Page
No.
Figure 2.1: Conceptual Relationship Between Variables.. 21
Figure 3.1: Analysis Of Demographic Information 31
Figure 3.2: The Leadership In My Organization Strongly Supports Career 34
Development Of Staff..
Figure 3.3: Effective Induction Process In Place That Orients New Staff. 35
Figure 3.4: Understand Skills And Capabilities Are That The Organization 35
Requires In The Next 5 Years......
Figure 3.5: Staffs Understand The CD Philosophy Of The Organization.. 36
Figure 3.6: Staff Understands What Their Own Role Is In Their CD.... 36
Figure 3.7: CD Is Supported Through A Clear And Well Executed Policy... 37
Figure 3.8: Emphasis On Performance Appraisal To CD Of Staffs... 38
Figure 3.8: High Quality Training On Technical Skills Is Available To Support 38
CD Of Staff......
Figure 3.9: Challenging Projects And Assignments Are Available To Staff To 39
Build New Skill...........
Figure 3.10: Testing, Counseling, Mentoring Support And Tools To Staff To CD 39
Figure 4.1 Priority Matrix Of Recommendation....... 53
 Abstract
The report is about the career development assessment and progression scenario of
women in commercial private banking sector of Bangladesh. The main objective of the report
is to find out the current status regarding the career development opportunities and challenges
faced by both the employer organizations and the female workers. The research used primary
date collected from 50 respondents through structures questionnaires as well as from open
responses of female employees currently working in various private commercial banks at
several organizational levels of Dhaka city and from surroundings. Statistical data analysis
tool SPSS is used to find descriptive statistics and respective graphs and charts. The result
indicates that females have shown their eagerness in having high position in banking sector
and very soon we may see some convincing number of female top executives though they
entered in this sector since 5-10 years. Few programs and processes for career development,
lack of capability to implement career development practices, low staff motivation and
unrealistic expectations of staff are the biggest challenges that private commercial banks in
Bangladesh are faced in their efforts to provide career development opportunities to its
female staffs presently. Female employees in private commercial banking segment consider
that to ensure proper and expected career development banks must ensure general and soft
technical skills as well as have to enhance supervisory skills through confirming coaching,
development planning within next five years. They find that more motivation and inspiration
activities, work life balance, training from abroad, integrated career development process,
more staff support, mentoring and counseling have to ensure by their organizations to
develop their career. Along with these, the employees are faced with gender discrimination,
monotonous working environment in banking, having family, unethical lobbying, and lack of
family mentorship as challenges to ensure their career advancement.

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1.1 Introduction
The banking sector is one of the most crucial sectors in Bangladesh. With 56 private banks
and a host of non-banking financial institutions, Bangladeshs banking sector has been adding
2% to the GDP with an annual growth of 10%. The industry currently employs 7491 female
bankers, around 13% of the total human resources pool. This disparity is further highlighted
in the World Economic Forums report, The Global Gender Gap Report, where Bangladesh
ranks 68th. However, women are making significant progress with many women acquiring
high-ranking positions in banking. ICE Business Times converses with female bankers about
the prospects and challenges of the industry.

The astonishing growth of banks has created massive employment opportunities for the
educated youths of our nation. Women play a vital role in Bangladeshs economy, both
socially and economically. Bangladesh is in the way of its development and banks as
financial institutions have noteworthy role in the expansion process of the country. A good
number of private and public banks are in service in this country where an outstanding
number of female personnel are employed side by side of male employees and the number is
rising day by day. Banks are attracting them by providing competitive and eye-catching
remuneration package and decent working atmosphere.

However, hundreds of thousands who are employed face a lot of challenges at work, and
especially when it comes to progressing in their respective careers. This has, however, been a
concern in the employment sector about the non-progression of women in the industry. This
research had the overall objective of studying the challenges affecting career progression of
women in the banking sector: a case study on women female employees of private
commercial banks. Specifically, the study sought to investigate the institutional barriers
affecting career progression of female; to document personal challenges affecting career
progression of women and to examine the best practices that can bring equity in the career
progression of women in the banking sector.

The research adopted the tentative design. The data collection was done through the various
methods that included questionnaires, key informant interviews and narratives. These
involved face-to-face interviews to ensure systematic collection of all the relevant
information and probes where there was no clarity. Quantitative data was analyzed through

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the SPSS while the qualitative data was analyzed thematically. The quantitative data has been
presented using descriptive statistics by use of frequencies and percentages. The qualitative
data on the other hand has been presented along the lines of the specific objectives and
thematically arranged. Further, the personal challenges in work life balance, lack of technical
expertise and communication style were seen as major hindrances to female progress.

1.2 Literature Review

Afande (2015) stated studied on Factors Affecting Women Career Advancement in the
Banking Industry in Kenya (A Case of Kenya Commercial Bank Branches in Nairobi County,
Kenya). The purpose of this study was to investigate the factors affecting women career
advancement in Kenya Commercial Bank. The study was guided by the following specific
objectives: to assess the extent to which age affects womens career advancement in the
banking sector in Kenya; to evaluate the extent to which gender affects women's career
advancement in the banking sector in Kenya; to examine the extent to which education
affects womens career advancement in the banking sector in Kenya; and to investigate the
extent to which core self-evaluation affects womens career advancement in the banking
sector in Kenya, to determine the extent to which age affects womens career advancement in
the banking sector in Kenya; to establish the extent to which gender affects women's career
advancement in the banking sector in Kenya.; and to determine the extent to which education
affects womens career advancement in the banking sector in Kenya; and to establish the
extent to which core-self-evaluation affects womens career advancement in the banking
sector in Kenya.

The study focused on selected branches of Kenya Commercial Bank branches located in
Nairobi region, whose number stood at 19 as at June 2013 (Kenya Commercial Bank, June
2013). There were two respondents from each of the bank branches, the branch manager and
another senior bank official, of the opposite sex from the branch manager. A semi-structured
questionnaire was used to collect primary data from the respondents. Computation of
frequencies in tables, charts and bar graphs were used in data presentation. In addition, the
researcher used standard deviations and mean scores to present information pertaining to the
study objectives. Results: The findings of the study indicate that majority of the respondents
either agreed or strongly agreed that individual factors: age; gender issues; individuals
skills, tenure, hard work, reputation and performance and affect womens career

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advancement; and womens lack of self-confidence and their tendency to be more self-critical
than men hinder their career advancement in the banking sector in Kenya. The findings also
show that the ranking of the factors affecting womens career advancement in the banking
sector, show as follows: Individuals age was first ranked, womens lack of self-
confidence and their tendency to be more self-critical than men hinder their career
advancement was second ranked, Individuals level of education was third ranked, The
gender issue was fourth ranked, and the least ranked was Individuals skills, tenure, hard
work, reputation and performance.

Ramaya. & Raghurama (2016) stated on their report on Women Participation in Indian
Banking Sector: Issues and Challenges that nationalization of the Indian Banking Sector in
1969 served as the first major step to reduce gender discrimination against women in banking
and insurance sectors and has provided opportunity for women empowerment. The pattern of
Indian women's employment has changed markedly since the 1970s. Technology has indeed
played a significant role in this change. Increasing women literacy, growing economic
pressure, and desire to gain economic and social independence are pushing womenfolk to
take up gainful career in banks. The phenomenal growth of banks has created massive
employment opportunities for the educated women of our nation. The women job-seekers
find jobs in banks more attractive and more suitable to their nature. In this paper an attempt
has been made to identify the general sentiments, challenges and opportunities of women
employees in the Indian Banking Industry, which is the life blood of the Indian economy.

Kannaiah & Kumar (2015) conducted a comprehensive study on the topic named
Complications Faced by Women Executives in New Generation Private Sector Banks in
Puducherry State India. They studied on 44 female executives from union territory of
Punducherry state. Data were collected through personal contact from respondents from
different private bank of that region. They found that the phenomenal growth of banks has
created massive employment opportunities for the educated unemployed youths of our nation.
The women job-seekers find jobs in banks more attractive and more suitable to their nature.
Banks also were not only not averse to taking them but even welcomed their entry because
women have certain innate traits which fit in with the job requirements. Thus the humongous
increase in job opportunities in banks and the abundant availability of qualified women who

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get selected in job tests paved the way for the large number of women occupying positions in
all cadres today in not only public sector and private sector banks but even in new generation
banks. Indian women is distinct from their western counter parts in that they do not shed their
conventional roles as mothers and house wives inspire of their professional. They are skilled
at blending professional excellence and traditional love for home harmoniously. In the
process of balancing work and home life, they encounter a plethora of problems. The study is
purely exploratory in nature and seeks to identify the factors preventing women employees
from aspiring for higher post and problems hindering the work performance of women
executives in private sector banks in Puducherry state. Further this aims also at finding out
the organizational support for women employees to achieve better work performance. The
conclusion has been given.

Rice (2010) demonstrated on the report African American Women in the Workplace: Models
of Career Development that Research and literature addressing the career development of
African American women in the workplace are scant, relative to the dominant group whose
patterns of work and living are generalized to those of Black women. They found that black
women are getting involved in labor force. This session will discuss and critique traditional
theories of career development and their relevance to our understanding of Black women's
career development in White dominated organizations. Current emerging and more
appropriate models will also be discussed.

ILO Global Trends for Women (ILO, 2012) also emphasize that women face particular
challenges both in terms of the sectors in which they wish to work as well as the conditions
they work under. Their share of waged non-agricultural employment has increased in the last
decade, but only slightly. Globally, women account for almost 40 per cent of the total
employment in this sector. But in South Asia, North Africa and West Asia, employment
opportunities for women remain extremely limited. And while more women have secured
paid jobs outside of agriculture, they have generally failed to access decent work. Close to
two-thirds of all employed women in developing countries, and over fifty per cent globally
are working in vulnerable jobs, either as contributing family workers or as own-account
workers

Promoting gender equality and empowering women is vital to achieving decent work for all
and finally stamping out the discrimination that has plagued labor markets (ILO, 2007).
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Women add value because they bring different perspectives to the table. Woolley et al.,
(2010) have demonstrated that gender-diverse teams performed better than homogenous ones
across a large number of different tasks.

According to Armstrong (2001) career progression is of great importance to both the

individual employee and the organization. This is so because there is interaction between the
organization for which he/she works and the development of the organization through the
employees career. An employee develops his/her career through a continuous acquisition of
managerial or professional skills and experience which may bring about rewards and
promotion. Graham and Bennett (1995) agree with this and contend that career development
involves higher status and responsibilities which can take place in one organization or
through movement between organizations or a combination of both. Employees could move
from one institution to another not necessarily in the same career, but probably from one field
to another or from one level to another.

In todays competitive market, successful businesses regardless of size need employees who
have the necessary knowledge and skills to make an effective contribution as drivers towards
achieving a competitive edge (Armstrong, 2001). Career progression has taken on global
significance as individuals prepare for work that increasingly crosses borders. Internationally,
individuals and the career practitioners helping them are grappling with such issues as
development of cultural competencies for cross-cultural work (Arthur, 2000). The issues vary
in different socio-political contexts (Santos et al., 2001).

According to Innis (2008) many senior executive and top management claim that women
simply do not have a desire to excel in their current job positions. Many women lose their
drive to excel due to the many obstacles met along the path of becoming a manager and these
obstacles include discrimination, stereotyping, prejudice, family demands, and lack of
opportunities (Emory, 2008).

According to Innis (2008) many senior executive and top management claim that women
simply do not have a desire to excel in their current job positions. Many women lose their
drive to excel due to the many obstacles met along the path of becoming a manager and these
obstacles include discrimination, stereotyping, prejudice, family demands, and lack of
opportunities (Emory, 2008). Akinyi (2014) performed an research on Career progression of
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women in the banking sector: the case of the standard chartered bank kenya limited, nairobi
city county. The purpose of the report was to explore the challenges affecting career
progression of women in the banking sector. In addition that that report attempted to
investigate the institutional barriers affecting career progression of women in the banking
sector, document the personal challenges affecting career progression of women in the
banking sector, examine the best practices that can bring equity in the career progression of
women in the banking sector. The study revealed that institutional barriers, such as the issue
of the glass ceiling and lack of participation in social and professional events were major
hindrances to the career progression of women. Although there was fairness in the appraisal
system, job selection process and remuneration that match their skills and experience, the
institutional barriers heavily limited the womens progress.

Study respondents and informants decried the lack of structured mentorship programs that
have the potential to address the under-representation and eliminate the moderate gender
stereotyping so as to ensure equity. The study concluded that although the policies and
procedures are very clear in all areas, awareness about them should be created and elaborate
discussions conducted at all levels to minimize constraints to career progression. Similarly on
globalization, equal opportunities should be accorded to both genders to accept or decline an
offer and assumptions should not be based on the family front or cultural constraints. The
study has recommended among others, that SCB should create awareness in the mindset of
its top managers to exercise equality of both genders to avoid any form of discrimination and
above all, to strictly adhere to the letter of the existing policies.

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1.3 Objectives of the study
1.3.1 Broad objective

Challenges, priorities and conceptions of female employees in private commercial banks in

assessing their career development and progression.

1.3.2 Specific objectives

i. Recent trend of female workforce female workforce in private commercial banking

industry.
ii. To investigate constraints in career advancement of female employees in private
commercial banks.
iii. Areas to be focused for future development of female employees in developing career
in private banking sector.
iv. Expectation of female employees in commercial banking industry from their
organizations in their career development.
v. Consciousness of female employees in career development and progression.
vi. Identifying plausible criteria that female bankers in private commercial sector use to
evaluate career development activities of their organization
vii. Identifying the ability of female bankers in private sector in understanding
organizations philosophy.
viii. Identifying challenges that organizations face in career development in female
employees.
ix. Degree of availability of training in technical development of female employees in
private commercial banking sector from an employees perspective.
x. Showing equity practices of organization in career development orientation of female
employees in private commercial bank.

1.4 Research Methodology

1.4.1 Sample Size

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 This study is based on the primary data which are gathered directly by structured
questionnaires, checklists as well as respondents open response.

For representing the overall scenario of career development opportunities, challenges, and
the existing various aspects of the career development of female employees who are working
in various private commercial banks in Bangladesh.

We have considered 50 respondents as sample size to generate a clear and reliable view of the
prevailing career development aspects. These sample were selected from 21 private
commercial banks who are operating their business in Dhaka city.

1.4.2 Sampling Techniques

Non-probability sampling method is applied for selecting the perspective female private
commercial bankers. As we believe that the perspective female private commercial bankers
will provide the preferred result for this study, so further convenient sampling is used to
minimize time consumption and research cost. As we have a fixed time frame to work with
and random sampling is much time consuming and sometimes difficult to apply in the
working hours. As it was impossible to stop the employees when we went for the data
collection to provide us with their opinions as they have to undergo very much work load as
well as private banking sector is the most busiest to serve the clients.

1.4.3 Scope of the study

We have studied on female bankers of the private commercial banks of Bangladesh. We

have tried to reach as many commercial private bank as we can. But we have unable to
include a convincing number of female respondents from those banks as bankers usually have
very busy work schedule. Besides we have time constraints to conduct and prepare such
report. We have approached to the issues of career advancement as well as assessment
concepts of female bankers in private commercial banks. However, our main purpose of the
study to find out the challenges, priorities and conceptions of female employees in private
commercial banks in assessing their career development and progression. In addition to that
we have focused to identify recent trend of female workforce female workforce in private
commercial banking industry, investigating constraints in career advancement of female
employees in private commercial banks, expectation of female employees in commercial
banking industry from their organizations in their career development etc.

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1.4.4 Instruments Used

Data were collected by structured questionnaires regarding some demographic data and
there were checklists to cover their opinions as well as we also used 5 points Likert Scale to
find out the respondents ordinal choice (Strongly Disagree Strongly Agree) on various
aspects of career development activities.

Besides there are sections for open response in case of some specific issues which are closely
related to career development of female employees from available private commercial banks
of Bangladesh.

1.4.5 Data Analysis Tool

For analyzing data what we gathered we used statistical data analysis tool SPSS
(Statistical Package for the Social Sciences) version 16. We used frequency distributions and
cross functional table as well as descriptive statistics for find out the various aspects related
to the career development issues for female workers of the existing private commercial banks
of Bangladesh. Bar and pie charts are generated to present the research findings more
conveniently.

1.5 Further Scope of the Study

This study is an attempt to find recent trend of career assessment and advancement and
related issues. Such study can be done on any sector of career management, like- self
exploration, environment exploration, occupation choice, early career management, mid-
career management etc. our report has focused only on female bankers but such study can be
conducted on both male and female bankers in private commercial banks. Even to broaden
the area of the study both government and non-government, commercial and specialized
banks in short whole banking industry should have been included. Most importantly such
study on career development and assessment can be conducted in each and every industry of
Bangladesh, specially emerging industries like- RMG sector, education industry,
pharmaceutical industry, insurance and banking industry, telecommunication industry etc.

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1.6 Limitations of the Report
i. Sample size in insufficient to represent population.
ii. Coordinating data collection from different groups was very time consuming and
difficult
iii. Due to busy schedule and working hours in bank respondents showed indifferences in
properly filling questionnaire.
iv. Time constraints
v. Lack of previous experience in preparing such kind of report.
vi. Lack of awareness of respondents in career development

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This part theoretically introduces the complex term of career and its development through
different stages of the individuals' work life. Extension of this part expresses influence of
diverse factors on the individuals' career development and provides theoretical basis for
further empirical research.

2.1 Definition of Career and Its

Development
Career is a complex term, and different authors define it in different ways. In the past, people
did not consider this term to be so complex and important as now, and it was considered that
when a person had a job, it was for a life long term. People used to start their job when they
were young, and they used to stay in the same organization, and even at the same position, till
they retired. It was taken for granted that a person if hard worker, reliable, competent, loyal
and making no problems, would have a job as long as he/she wanted it. In return for such
behavior of employees, companies offered them job security and stability of job.

Today the situation is quite different and much more complex, due to the numerous and
constant changes in economics and technology. If a person wants to succeed in such a
turbulent and changing environment, he/she has to adapt to it, and should continue acquiring
new skills, abilities and training throughout the whole working life. It is obvious today that a
person must constantly develop new and better personal skills. New jobs and new tasks are
more demanding and more challenging, so individuals need to be available, ready and
prepared enough to accomplish new and technologically more sophisticated tacks and duties
(Ivancevich, 1994, p.490). However, the employee is not the only one who has to take many
factors into consideration if he/she wants to succeed in professional life. Also, the
organization must be aware of many factors, one of them being how to best utilize talents of
its employees. Companies must be aware of the fact that creating stable and fruitful future
growth will be possible only with the help and support of human resources.

To sum up, career is a lifelong process, which is composed of the person's working
experience gained while performing different jobs and moving between diverse positions, but
it is also fulfilled by achieving greater responsibility, power and progression on his/her career
path. According to this, career can be subjectively determined and depends on the individual's
explanation, as a sequence of attitudes and behaviors related to his/her working experience.
On the other hand, it can also be determined objectively and means getting the first job,
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moving between different jobs and tasks, levels of responsibility and different challenges, or
it can also be represented as a long sequence of different jobs and working experience.

2.2 Career Development

Putting the term career and the term development together, it can be said that career
development is the life-long process of fostering and cultivating the shape of the individual's
working life so as to make the best use of inherent talents, skills, knowledge and interests for
that person (Peel, 1992, p.13). The term career development is concerned with the potential
of employees and the situations in which they are or may be at the moment and after that. It
often cant a strong overtone of promotion and upward movement. Career development is
vital to the individual employee. Taking into consideration the Masllow's well-known
hierarchy of needs, which places self-actualization at the top of pyramid as the goal to which
all aspire, it can be concluded that career development is central to this self-actualization. It
will contribute at the deepest level to working effectiveness, motivation and personal
fulfillment, not only in working life but spreading also at social spheres of individual's life
(Peel, 1992, p.14). Before starting developing his/her own career, individual has to make
thorough consideration of possible solutions. Those solutions imply all the connections and
correlations between one's needs, abilities, preferences and wishes, and the organization's
capabilities, needs and possibilities. If matches and correlations between those two important
actors work, than both parties can achieve positive results. Matching will not happen
suddenly and at once when it is needed, but it has to be planned, organized and required from
both sides. As stated, individuals and organizations are those who have to take care about this
process, but there are also the HRM specialists and experts, who need to help them to make
correlations and connections. Those specialists in combination with organizations have to
accomplish individual needs, while individuals, on the other hand, must be aware of the
opportunities available now, and of course, those anticipated in the future. Important
information and cognitions on actual situation and future needs, have to be share between
individuals and organizations, and not kept for one side only.

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2.2.1 Career Planning And Career Management

Career development can be described as a term that has an internal focus and refers to the
way an individual views his/her career, but it has also an external focus that refers to the
series of jobs and positions held by an individual. Understanding career development in an
organization requires an examination of two processes: how individuals plan and implement
their own career goals (career planning), and how organizations design and implement their
career development programs (career management) (Bernardin, Russel, 1993, p340).

Career affects both actors in the process of career development, an individual and an
organization, and it creates relationship between them (Milkovich, Boudreau, 1997, p.360).
So, career development is a complex subject, fragmented in two important factors. These
factors are: career planning, which represents the process through which employees identify
and implement steps to attain career goals, and career management as the other factor, which
represents the process through which organizations select, asses, assign and develop
employees, to provide themselves with a pool of qualified people to meet their future needs.
The process of matching is important, because both, he individual and the organization have
their interests in the individual's career. Discussing individual interests, abilities, desires,
needs, choices or constrains, it considers career planning, which is an individual aspect in the
whole process

2.2.2 Career Systems and Strategy

The career systems in organizations are usually correlated with their strategies. Career
development can vary and this can be observed with recruiting as well as with the career
development and promotion (Bahtijarevie, 1999, p.838). These two dimensions create four
categories of career development which are tightly correlated with the organization's strategy
as well as with the strategy of competition (see Figure 2). The organizations recruiting can be
internal or external. If organizations engage internal recruiting, they are able to fulfil almost
all the positions except for the lowest ones. If, on the contrary, an organization turns to the
external recruiting, it recruits at least as much as it promotes within. Regarding the internal or
external recruiting, the openness to the external selection can vary, and these staffing systems
can be more open or more closed. Vertical dimension reflects the openness of the system,
stressing that the more open or highly open systems are at the top while the more closed ones
or the systems with low openness are at the bottom. Horizontal dimension reflects the
quantity of individual competition for the internal staffing opportunities. The left end of

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horizontal dimension indicates lower competition, i.e. more group contribution, while the
right end indicates higher individual contribution. Combinations of these two dimensions, i.e.
combinations of the openness to the external selection and promotion competition among
individuals, create four career systems, known as fortress, baseball team, dub and academy.

2.2.3 Stages In Career Development

It is very important to know and understand the stages in career development cycle, because
different stages in career development require different activities, different support and help
from the organization and from the managers and different procedures in coordination of the
individual's and organization's needs (Bahtijarevie, 1999, p. 840). The individuals' values,
goals, needs and even motives are not the same at the beginning, in the middle and at the end
of their career development. Before starting their own career, people need to understand their
desires and needs, but even more than that, they have to be aware of the skills and abilities
they possess. Nobody is fit for every job, nobody is able to perform any job and start any
career. Some people are better in synthesizing, analyzing and comparing and should work
with figures in their vocations, the people skilled in mentoring, negotiating, consulting or
coaching should work with people. Also those who are good in precision work, in operations,
controlling or handling, should chose the jobs with things, and start developing their careers
in that direction.

Generally, the career development cycle can be divided into three periods, which are early
career, middle career and late career. Inside these periods there are four career stages
(Ivancevich, 1994, p. 493), (see Figure 2).

Stage I. - Apprenticeship
Stage II. - Advancement
Stage III. - Maintenance
Stage IV. - Strategic thinking

Stage I - Apprenticeship

The first stage of the career development cycle can be called the stage of apprenticeship and
it is part of the early career development. In this stage an employee establishes
himself/herself but also has to accept a psychological state of dependence. This stage begins
after the education is completed (graduation) and the first job taken, so it can be characterized

Page | 15
as a stage that starts somewhere about the age of 25, and lasts till about 30. This is the stage
when employees are trying to adapt to being workers, getting established in their work,
socializing with their working environment, getting familiar with the organization and co-
workers, starting to achieve some initial success, and developing relationships between their
career and private part of their life. To overcome all the problems that characterize the
beginning of the professional life, the newcomers have to work close to the more experienced
people

Stage II - Advancement

The advancement stage belongs to the second part of the career development cycle, i.e. to
mid-career. The major tasks that employees deal within this stage are confronting and
reappraising their early career decisions, as well as their future productive work. This stage
starts when an individual is aged 30-35 and lasts till his/her 40-45. The former stage is
characterized with the high need of safety during the initial years, what can be seen in the
figure 2, while this stage is more concerned with the achievement, esteem and autonomy. The
employee has already chosen his/her area of interest, has already shown his/her potentials,
has socialized with the organization's culture and with the organization itself; also he/she has
already acquired certainty, self-confidence and independence in his/her work. The most
crucial element of this stage is independence, which implies high competence in solving
business problems and dealing with the important business tacks without directions or control
of supervisors. By achieving all the skills and abilities stated, the employee moves from the
role of an apprentice to the role of a colleague.

Stage III. - Maintenance

The maintenance stage belongs also to the period of mid-career development. It is

characterized with efforts to stabilize the gains of the past. New gains may be achieved here,
but it may also happen that the new gains are not made in this stage; nevertheless, this stage
is the period of creativity. Till now the employee has satisfied his physiological and financial
needs, has become an independent worker, and this is the time of self-actualization. This
stage starts when an employee is 40-45 and lasts till his/her mid 50-ies. This is the period
when an employee has confirmed his/her position in a company possesses required
knowledge and abilities, and does the most for an organization. The professionals in this
stage are supposed to become mentors to apprentices. Their main activities are training,
mentoring, leading and influencing others and taking care and responsibility for the work of

Page | 16
the younger colleagues. In the previous stages, an employee was concerned with his/her own
work only, but in this stage, the work of the others becomes his/her primary concern. Those
who cannot cope with these new requirements may decide to move back and stay in the
second stage.

Stage IV - Strategic thinking

The final stage is a preparation for retirement. It starts in the mid 50-ies and lasts till the
retirement. It can be divided in two parts; the first one is maintenance and the other part is
withdrawing and preparing for retirement. The main task of those who are in this stage is to
remain productive and to prepare for retirement, but some of them move up to the senior
leadership roles, in accordance with the organization's plans. This stage is not experienced by
all the employees, particularly that part of this stage which is preparation for the executive
roles. It is reserved only for the chief executives, and for the key personnel of certain
departments. In that status, professionals may have the roles of the executive managers,
entrepreneurs and idea generators, but the most important are the roles of sponsors and
counsellors. Being a sponsor or a counselor, an individual can influence the organization,
particularly the strategy and directions of the organization's development.

2.3. Roles in Career Development

For successful career development it is very important to establish quality correlation and
coordination between the most important actors; employees, managers and human resource
department or the organization as a whole (Bahtijarevie, 1993, p.833). All of these roles are
important, but some of them will be more important in certain circumstances and at certain
time than the others. A role is a set of specific tasks that a person is expected to perfonn
because of the position he/she holds in an organization (Jones, George, Hill, 2000, p.16). An
individual as an employee performs different roles in his/her career, starting from the first job
and developing toward higher degree of responsibility, power and hierarchy, these requiring
specific types of behavior. Also, during that process, he/she meets various people, who also
perform different roles or have different expectations and behaviors in that relationship.

In the career development process, employees must determine their job and career
preferences and must be consistent in submitting any necessary information related to that
issue, to the management or the organization as a whole. Organization or its HR department

Page | 17
is the one who is involved in searching relevant career related information for use in the
company. Also, it provides information feedback to the employees about the possibilities in
the organization and offers support in the career efforts. Finally, manager is an integrator in
the career development process. Manager correlates the needs and requirements of his/her
organization with the individual's needs, interests and abilities and tries to find the perfect
match.

2.3.1. Individual's Role

It is quite understandable that every individual is primarily responsible for his/her own career
and its development. An employee has to play an active role in this process and he/she is the
one who needs to alert the organization on his/her needs and wishes as well as to make an
effort for those to come true. As it has already been said, the employees felt safe in an
organization in the past. If they were hard workers, reliable and loyal, their job could last for
a life time, but at the same time could not influence their career progress, because it depended
mostly on the organization. Today the employees are those who need to recognise and accept
responsibility. Also, some important segments in the career development process have
changed from the past till now. Loyalty to only one organization has disappeared, and the
employee develops his/her career not only in the organization where he/she started his/her
work, but moving from one organization to another. In old days, an individual was the
instrument for the goals of an organization, while today organizations become more and more
instruments for the personal career development (Bahtijarevie, 1993, p. 867). An employee
has to consider and plan his/her career actively and train himself/herself for more demanding
and more qualified job positions. He/she is finally responsible for his/her knowledge, skills
and capabilities to be correlated and matched with the professional ones, as well as they are
matched with the environmental and economic changes and needs. To sum up, an employee
needs to manage his/her personal career actively and responsibly, by providing his/her own
permanent competitiveness and by employing on more and more demanding and responsible
jobs (Bahtijarevie, 1993, p.867). Successful career development starts with one's own
understanding of his/her personal opportunities and weaknesses (Bahtijarevie, 1993, p.867).
To accomplish the first step in a successful career development process, coordination and
correlation with the others can be very helpful. One of the most important factors is the match
between an employee and his/her organization, this being provided by regular information
circulation. To realise his/her career an employee has to set his/her goals, this mostly
depending on his/her personal abilities and shortcomings, as well as on his/her skills and

Page | 18
talents needed for effective performance. After setting the goals, an employee has to make the
plans for their accomplishments and to specify the steps and activities to provide them. A set
of the activities that an individual has to undertake in order to realise successful career
development, is shown in figure 5.

While developing his/her own career, an employee changes his/her roles towards the
personnel inside the organization. When starting his/her first job, an employee plays the role
of an apprentice, where he/she acquires necessary knowledge and specialises by following
given directions. By stepping in the stage of advancement, the employee changes the role of
an apprentice into the role of a colleague. This role is characterised by independence and by
capability of solving the problems without instructions or the supervisor's attendance. In the
third stage, an employee plays the role of a mentor, where he/she takes care and responsibility
for the others by teaching, leading and influencing them. In the last stage, the employee's
influence spreads over the whole organization. He/she plays the role of a sponsor who acts
like a manager and innovator, but also inspires, supports, counsels and provides resources for
the others inside the organization.

2.3.2 Manager's Role

Manager has very important and responsible role in the process of his/her subordinates' career
development. He/she identifies and links individual needs and preferences of his/her
employees with the needs and possibilities of an organization (Balitijarevie, 1993, p. 859).
The career management process offers a number of opportunities for the managers and
supervisors to become involved. Their importance can be noticed during the career appraisal
when a manager serves as a source of information on the employee's capabilities and
shortcomings. Manager is also important in providing accurate information about the career
path and opportunities inside the organization, for supporting of the employee's career plans
and serving also as a key source of feedback to the employee on his/her career progress.
Managers have many roles in an organization, and those roles are the part of their managing
job. Mintzberg3 has summarized 10 of those roles used while planning, organizing, leading
and controlling the organization's resources. He has grouped those roles into three categories:
interpersonal role, informational role and decisional role. Most of those roles are concerned
with other managerial tasks, but those which make part of interpersonal roles can be applied
also to the managerial roles in the career development. Managers assume an interpersonal role in
order to coordinate and interact with the members of an organization and to provide
direction and supervision for both the employees and the organization as a whole (Jones,

Page | 19
George, Hill, 2000, p. 17). Manager's role of a leader is to encourage subordinates to perform at
a high level and to take steps to train, counsel and mentor subordinates to help them reach their
full potential (Jones, George, Hill, 2000, p.18).

2.3.3. The Organization's Role

If the career development is to succeed, it must receive complete support of the top managers.
Department managers and the HR managers should work together to design and implement a
career development system (Bahtijarevie, 1993, p. 856). This system should reflect the goals
and culture of an organization, as well as clear expectations and directions. For a program to
be effective, the managerial personnel at all levels must be trained in the fundamentals of job
design, performance appraisal, career planning and counseling organizations today become
more active in implementing career development. This happens trough all departments,
especially the HR department which creates methodology, collects and analyzes information
and provides professional help in the career development decisions for the managers and for
the employees. Organizations can help new employees to engage in the career exploration and
establish their careers during the early-career stage by developing effective recruitment,
orientation and mentoring, by providing job challenges and responsibilities, and by offering
constructive performance feedback (Bahtijarevie, 1993, p.857). In addition, organizations
should encourage employees to participate in self-assessment exercises, should work with
them so as to help them to determine the realistic and flexible career path and to formulate
their career plans. To succeed in this mission, different types of information are needed, like
information on the organization's mission, strategy, goals and development plans, information
on employees and their skills, possibilities, preferences and potentials and information on the
job positions that will appear as a result of the organization's needs and development.

The most important person of the organization's role of career development is the HR
specialist. An organization together with the HR specialist has to create information and
support for the individual's own efforts and development, has to be a professional
communicator of the career development, has to be an expert of the career information, and has
to be the organization's interventionist, to promote learning and career planning. The most
important step that an organization has to undertake in creating the career development
program is matching of the organization's needs with the individual ones. Some of the
individual's needs are career path, education and training, promotion aspirations, along with

Page | 20
the age and family concerns. On the other hand, most of the organization's needs can be
presented through the current and future organization's competences, market changes, growth
or downsizing, productivity, employee turnover and absenteeism and talent pool. By
successful matching of those needs, the organization would provide most help to those
employees who find themselves in the second or the third stage of the career cycle
(Ivancevich, 1994, pA94). Also, the organization must not neglect those employees who are
in the last stage of the career cycle, because some employees use to be disappointed once
when they reach retirement. Organizations can help to the late-career employees by
understanding the specific problems they encounter and by helping them to retire in the
easiest possible way. Employers may offer some pre-retirement planning programs to help the
employees be aware of the adjustments they may need to make when they retire.

Conceptual Framework

The conceptual framework below developed from the literature review, highlights the
independent variables (being institutional barriers, personal challenges and best practices)
affect the dependent variable (career progression) subject to moderation by equity.

Independent Variables Moderating Variable Dependent Variable

Institutional Barriers

Personal Challenges Career Progression

Best Practices
Equity

Fig. 2.1 Conceptual relationship between variables

Page | 21
2.3 Institutional Barriers That Influence Women Managers Career Progression

2.3.1 Glass Ceiling (GC) and Women Managers Career Progression

The concept of the glass ceiling originated during the middle 1980s to describe the invisible
and artificial barriers that have kept women from promotion to upper management and other
higher leadership positions in the business world. Research on the career development of
women managers in general often refers to the glass ceiling that restricts advancement to top
executive positions. Several studies validated glass ceiling hypothesis and indicated that
women in their early lives experienced a number of barriers during their career path and also
invisible barriers, which continued to prevent women from moving up to a higher position in
organizations. In addition to that the GC is not one ceiling or wall in one spot, but rather
many varied and pervasive forms of gender bias that occur frequently in both overt and
covert ways. The GC is also very visible to those whose careers have been affected by it.

2.3.2 Written Policies

There are miscellaneous types of occupational pressures for the organizational employees
because private sector banks are also making discrimination among the male and female
workers. Banks have also undergone various policies that have transformed the criterion of
women access to management positions. Career breaks and job sharing are utilized in
retention strategies. Recruitment and promotion policies claim equal opportunities for career
development of women. The researcher also noted that organizations are placing a greater
emphasis on development and promotion to enhance the likelihood of women succeeding to
top management positions. The most significant thing is that policies are changed and
designed in an appropriate manner but their implementation is not adequate to close the
gender gap.

2.3.3 Selection Process

One of the most common and well known barriers to career advancement is that of the
selection process used by most companies. As indicated previously, the pool of women that
are qualified for promotion to executive positions is quite small and therefore women simply
cannot be promoted. Majority percentage of firms stated that lack of general management
skills and line experience was a major contributing factor in their decisions not to promote

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women. However, another study finds some firms have a large pool of qualified women and
simply do not consider them for the position on the basis that they are deemed to be an
unreliable workforce who will take breaks for child bearing and other familial
responsibilities. Though it is very uncommon to hear, some researchers have found another
rationale is that existing top management positions are held by men who tend to promote
other men who are similar to themselves.

2.3.4 Promotion

Gender discrimination always exists in the labor market. The major factor behind this is
perceived to be the attitude of the women towards job attainment and carrier promotion. The
widespread factor is that men and women are considered to be appropriate for working but
men are considered to be more appropriate for the managerial and administrative jobs as
compared to women. Thus, men and women fluctuate their job preferences for the labor
market. Although the most significant thing in this regard is ability of the worker to do any
job rather than his gender. Those workers (whether male or female) that have higher
capability level must occupy the productive jobs in the labor market but this is also decided
on the base of their gender. Even the women that have the same ability level as men will
receive less wages as compared to male employees, especially in diverse types of managerial
jobs.

2.3.5 Globalization and The Female Limitations

Globalization presents many new barriers for women. Senior level managers and top
executives now have even more responsibility and higher expectations than before due to the
time pressures and relocations of many businesses hence top executives have had to move to
new towns, cities, and countries. This presents a large barrier for many women with families
and a working spouse or significant other. Perhaps more surprisingly, the largest problem,
however, has not been family issues; it has been adoption of new cultures and social norms.
While the natural ability of women to adapt is higher than that of men, a large number of
women have been unable to accept the culture shock and fail in their new environments.
Similarly, women may also experience resistance in other cultures to female leadership.
Many countries will simply not deal with a woman executive because of their beliefs and
perceptions that women are incapable of doing business effectively.

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2.3.6 Participation in Social and Professional Events

Women need to participate in social events to increase visibility. This includes being seen at
social functions, being effective in professional associations and developing powerful allies
who speak well of you. Attending social gatherings increases ones visibility. Presence at
social functions and events provide social interaction and a source of information about
career opportunities. To enhance career advancement opportunities, one needs to join a
support group to be able to listen to others and develop empathy and other key interpersonal
relationships. This can be a challenge to women especially when the institution requires their
presence at formal gatherings e.g. dinners or cocktails that end quite late since they must
balance work and family needs.

2.3.7 Networking

A network is a group which encourages women to help each other in their respective jobs and
is a source of information and advice for them. The purpose served by networks was that of
fulfilling the need to be seen to be doing something and adds that informal networks might
hinder or improve an employees chances of promotion

Professional networks provide instrumental benefits to their members such as information

exchange, access to resources and promotional opportunities. It is important for one to focus
on people with power and influence in the organization to benefit from their clout. More
often than not focusing on people at higher levels requires time, great commitment, drive and
passion that eventually drives results. She observes that women tended to focus on people at
lower levels than themselves.

2.4 Personal Challenges

2.4.1 Family-Work Conflict

In a society filled with conflicting responsibilities and commitments, work/life balance has
become a predominant issue in the workplace. Work/life Balance of women employees has
become an important subject since the time has changed from men earning the family living
in todays world where both men and women equally share the responsibility of earning for
the betterment of their family life. Hence it is for the betterment of their family life.

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Work-Life Balance does not mean an equal balance. It means the capacity to schedule the
hours of professional and personal life so as to lead a healthy and peaceful life.

The main concerns in the womens perspective were the duration or working time that is
required longer than they expected in addition to the organization anticipating its managers to
be flexible to the needs of the business. When demands of the job increasingly encroach into
family life, women experience conflict which affects their career outcomes. Work-life
balance is very difficult for women with young children especially when they try to balance
their role as the primary caregiver with additional responsibility in the organization.

Women managers are at a disadvantage because of family and job responsibilities and since
family needs more attention, women managers are forced to avoid overtime. To handle
work/life balance at work and in the community some researchers have emphasized that
working adults learn to build networks of support at home. Juggling competing demands is
tiring if not stressful and brings lower productivity, sickness, and absenteeism, so work/life
balance is an issue for all employees and all organizations. Conflict between work and
family has real consequences and significantly affects quality of family life and career
attainment of both men and women.

2.4.2 Communication Style

Men and women communicate differently and therefore, negotiate differently. The successful
female professional must not only understand the gender differences in communication but
be able to use them to her advantage as well. A mans way of communicating as guy-
speak. For example, when a man leaves a meeting and you ask him how it went, he will
probably say Great. He is not really conveying any information about what happened at
the meeting; rather, he is simply acting confident. A woman, in contrast, might answer the
same question with, okay, but I could have handled the cost issue a little better. Like the
mans comment, hers does not necessarily describe what happened at the meeting. Rather, it
reflects her desire for perfection. If you rely on what each actually says, without taking
into account the gender of the speaker, you are liable to draw erroneous conclusions.
Therefore, women need to communicate their ideas more effectively by being more vocal
and assertive, especially to top management. However, they have to be careful not to come
across as overly aggressive when communicating their ideas.

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2.4.3 Challenging Assignments
Challenging assignments involve adding an employees responsibility and this gives the
employee a sense of recognition as they stand out. Recognition is necessary in career
advancement. Recognition could be achieved by accepting challenging assignments which
stretch and compliment ones knowledge and then learn as much as one could. Challenging
assignments provide employees with opportunities for achievement and also motivation.
Ability to take challenging assignments helped professionals to fulfill growth needs.

2.4.4 Underrepresentation

One of the concerns of career research has been on the underrepresentation of women in
managerial positions. In this connection, various researchers have focused on factors which
lead to the progression of women managers. Underrepresentation of women in senior
leadership is problematic for several reasons. Women are also taking part in diverse career
developing campaigns. But still the women representation in the career ladder is very low.
The foremost reason is that the private sector needs more technical professionals and they
perceive that female managers are not apposite for this. Therefore they prefer to take male
managers for this purpose because they cannot lose the crucial aptitude of men (as they can
handle various types of managerial tasks and troubles). In addition to this top management
positions consider that female employees are not appropriate for the top management jobs
(especially the married women) because they undergo miscellaneous sorts of career breaks
due to their household duties. In this way their working capacity becomes undermined due to
this fact. As a result of this the organization develops some stereotypic attitude related with
the promotion and appointment of the female workers. Without seasoned female mentors to
guide women through what can be a politically driven succession planning process, women
may feel unprepared for upper-management positions and thus not apply.

2.4.5 Gender Discrimination

Women comprise a large part of the population and with their marginalization, there is bound
to be very little development. This has changed with the monetary economy thus creating a
marginal class of individuals mainly women. The social stigmas such as gender role
stereotypes, rigid cultural patterns, patriarchal structure of society and less ingenious stigma
on females are the major factors that become the base for gender discrimination of female
employees at workplace. Therefore, women have to countenance wide-ranging predicaments
related with gender biased discriminatory factors in private sector organizations. Men and
Page | 26
women are assigned diverse job categories due to stereotypic behavior and differential
occupational opportunities in labor market. Even the women who have the same aptitude
level as men will earn less especially in various types of managerial jobs. They believed that
because they were women, they had advanced more slowly, were not given promotions that
they deserved, had to work harder to prove themselves, were not taken seriously or were
treated with less respect, and were banned from international job assignments.

2.5 Best Practices That Bring Equity

2.5.1 Training and Development Opportunities

To develop skills required for the different roles an employee takes on as he/she
progresses/advances through the ranks takes time: the progress is facilitated by training and
the development of managerial and professional skills. Opportunities such as leadership
programs and other related courses, exposure to professional development conferences,
seminars, and women professional organizations are very helpful.

Training provides more opportunities for career progression because it may boost
competence levels of individuals and the organization. Training is, therefore, seen as vital for
career advancement for employees in general and managers in particular. The philosophy
behind SCBs Training Policy, therefore, recognizes that training leads to the enhancement of
self, professional and career development which would, normally, lead to career progression.
Training is normally geared towards ensuring that there is continuity in employees career
development. Individuals expect reward for their training or development; they have put in
effort, become more skilled and expect greater reward in the form of promotion, pay increase
and more demanding or higher status jobs. Unfortunately most training opportunities for
senior level management are held at offsite locations internationally. Women are often
passed by because of the difficulty of dual role play. Few norms or laws encourage
employers to make accommodations for workers family roles. So both men and women may
in this regard suffer the same predicament but men either pass the responsibility to the
women or women willingly or unwillingly take up the responsibility. Unfortunately
decisions like these affect ones career progression.

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2.5.2 Mentorship

Another practice is to ensure women adopt relationships with their mentors, bosses and
fellow female co-workers. Mentors are viewed as helpful in that they provide participants
with job opportunities/challenges to demonstrate skills and abilities, suggested strategies for
advancing participants careers, believed in their potential, encourage participants to take
risks, share his/her expertise with the participants, and give participants useful career advice.

Women do not move up into strategic roles because they are not sponsored into them. There
tends to be few executive women because many women are unable to find a female mentor
thus they are inhibited in the workplace because of their limited access to capable mentors.
Many people prefer to have mentors of the same gender because they tend to understand the
challenges most commonly faced. Male mentors tend to be resistant to mentor a woman
because they perceive women as more emotional, not as skilled at problem-solving, and
because of the risk of workplace sexual harassment issues.

2.5.3 Talent Management

Talent is understood to be one of those workers who guarantees the competitiveness and
future of a corporation (as specialist or leader) through the organizational or job specific
qualification and knowledge, the social and methodical competencies, and characteristic
attributes such as eager to learn or achievement oriented. Research has shown that women
tend to be overlooked in many talent management initiatives due to their being considered as
not having the capacity or that they may not be worth investing in because they may leave
their job for family or even thought of as being not interested in those activities.

2.5.4 Supportive and Collaborative Work Environment

The foremost discriminatory factor towards the women occupational career progression is the
environment of the whole organization. Although women are discriminated in every job
attainment and career progression, pregnant women especially become the victims of this
discrimination. Especially the private organizations consider that the role and capacity of the
female employees mostly changed during the pregnancy period and after this era. For this
reason they become unproductive for various types of organizational posts. Especially these
organizations tried their level best to appoint male managers for their strategic work as the
female managers are deemed to be less appropriate due to time constraints, career gaps,
inadequate working environment and stereotypic behavior of the male employees. As a result

Page | 28
of this, the female employees always feel dissatisfied with their jobs and they reported that
the attitude of co-workers and the environment of organization are the major factors that
create hurdles in their job attainment and career progression.

There is a traditional and orthodox perception that women are less efficient and therefore,
they are incapable of tackling the problems of the organization as compared to their male
colleagues. Due to this myth, the female employees always face obstructions in career
progression and various job retention criterions. For example, male bank managers
consistently rated work environment pressures as being less stressful than female bank
managers, with the exception of equipment failure. Thus women face double pressures
because they countenance inadequate personal support and insufficient professional
sustainability. The female employees frequently feel that their gender role is the major hurdle
in their carrier progression because the female employees do not get an adequate personal
and professional support.

2.5.5 Eliminating Negative Stereotype

Gender stereotyping is a problem that working women must deal with. The empirical studies
they reviewed challenge gender differences predictions of earlier theories. Stereotypes are
shared beliefs held by one group of people about another group of people and are widely
known, but oversimplified, descriptions of people from particular social or demographic
groups. Gender stereotyping of the managerial role arises when the attributes regarded to be
necessary in order to fulfill the role are attributed to one sex. Many companies associate
masculine characteristics with success and achievement. These include assertiveness,
aggressiveness, and task-oriented leadership abilities. Other stereotypes of women include
the expectation of being modest, quiet, selfless, and nurturing. These simple characteristics
may be seen as non-executive material. Entities desire a leader who will execute, take
criticism, and do what is best for the company at all cost

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3.1 Analysis of Demographic information
In our study we have identified that at top level executive; like director or deputy director;
there is negligible participation on women employees. Here we have found only a female
deputy director within 50 respondents who has served more than15 years for that
organization. This denotes only 2% of female are in highest level. Actually this scenario
demonstrates that female employees are involving to this sector in recent times. As a result so
far they could not avail highest rank in banking sector.

Current Professional level * Service Duration in Current Organization Cross tabulation

Service Duration in Current Organization

Current Professional Level Less 1-3 3-5 5-10 10-15 More

than 1 Than 15
Year Years Years Years Years Years Total

Director or Deputy Count 0 0 0 0 0 1 1

Director
% of
0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 2.0% 2.0%
Total
Chief or Head of Count 1 0 1 3 0 0 5
Unit/Process
% of
2.0% 0% 2.0% 6.0% 0% 0% 10.0%
Total
Professional Count 1 0 5 4 0 2 12
Supervisor
% of
2.0% 0% 10.0% 8.0% .0% 4.0% 24.0%
Total
Professional; Count 0 2 0 2 0 1 5
Individual
Contributor/Specialist % of
0% 4.0% .0% 4.0% .0% 2.0% 10.0%
Total
Support staff Count 0 8 3 4 1 1 17
Administrative
% of
.0% 16.0% 6.0% 8.0% 2.0% 2.0% 34.0%
Total
Other: General Count 0 3 5 2 0 0 10
Employee
% of
0% 6.0% 10.0% 4.0% .0% .0% 20.0%
Total
Total Count 2 13 14 15 1 5 50
% of
4.0% 26.0% 28.0% 30.0% 2.0% 10.0% 100.0%
Total

At the position of chief or head of unit we have found 5 respondents which represent 10% of
the sample. Among those five respondents one has served 1 year, another one has served 3-5

Page | 30
year and rest of the three have served 5-10 years in banking sector. So this circumstance
proves that females have shown their eagerness in having high position in banking sector and
very soon we may see some convincing number of female top executives.

Figure 3.11: Analysis of Demographic information

There are 12 persons; 24% of respondents; who are in professional supervisory level. One
respondent has worked year, five has worked 3-5 years, four have worked 5-10 years and
rest of the tow has worked more than 15 years. So this statistics exemplify that a significant
portion of female bank employees are in their mid-career stage.

At Professional; Individual Contributor/Specialist level, there are 5 respondents among 50

respondents. So this can calculated as 10% of the total sample. Within those 5 respondents,
two have served 1-3 years, another two have served 5-10 years and the last respondent of this
group has served 15 years in her organization.

Page | 31
If we consider both professional supervisory and professional individual contributor as mid-
level managerial position, we will find (24%+10%) 34% respondents are in this mid
managerial level. This is very positive and sanguine sign for female workers in our banking
sector.

We have found 17 respondents of 50 are working at Support staff Administrative level,

which indicates 34% of our total sample is in this level. 8 respondents are with 1-3 years
work experience, three have 3-5 years experience, four have 5-10 years experience, one has
10-15 years experience and one has more than 15 years experience. At low management
level there are notable numbers of female workers working. But we have found weird case as
well. Two of the employees are in low managerial level having 10-15 years and more than 15
years experience.

3.2 Analysis of Information on Challenges and

Priorities

3.2.1 The Biggest Challenges Organizations Face Today

As per the respondents, they find that few programs and processes for career development,
lack of capability to implement career development practices, low staff motivation and
unrealistic expectations of staff are the biggest challenges that private commercial banks in
Bangladesh are faced in their efforts to provide career development opportunities to its staffs
today.

Particulars Frequency
Yes/Agre % of total No/Not % of total
e Respondent Agree Respondent
s s
Not a Priority for The Leadership 4 8% 46 92%

Limited funds 8 16% 42 84%

Too few Perceived Opportunities 7 14% 43 86%
Few Programs and Processes for CD 25 50% 25 50%
Lack of Capability to Implement CD 17 34% 33 66%
Practices
Low Staff Motivation 15 30% 35 70%

Page | 32
Unrealistic Expectations of Staff 10 20% 40 80%

Here 50% of employee agreed that few programs and processes for career development; 17
respondents that means 34% of employees agreed with prevailing lack of capability to
implement career development practices; 20% of employees agreed that unrealistic
expectations of staff; in case of low staff motivations 15 respondents means 30% of female
employees who are working in the private commercial banks agreed with the statement as the
core challenges faced by the private commercial banks. But there is no significant response in
any specific issue so that it can be considered as the core challenges.

3.2.2 Important Areas Organizations Should Focus to ensure Career

Development
In our study, we have summarized few criteria or issues that female employees of banking
sector considers very important for organization to put focus on in next years. We have
suggested 10 important points for the consideration of an organization to improve career
development support and opportunities for stuff.

Issues organization should Agreed Not Disagreed

focus Frequency Percentages Frequency Percentage
on next years (%) s (%)
Induction of new staff and; or 8 16 42 84
1 existing staff to new roles
2 Training General Technical 20 40 30 60

3 Training General Soft skills 24 48 26 52

Developing Supervisory skills 23 46 27 54

4 in
CD (e.g. coaching, development
planning)
5 Mentoring or support programs 16 32 34 68

6 Staff support and assessment 18 36 32 34

7 services counseling, testing
8 A fully integrated Career 17 34 33 66
Development process
9 Mobility opportunities 5 45 10 90

10 Others 1 2 49 98

From those our respondents find three topics most important. Those points are- Training
General Technical, Training General Soft skills, Developing Supervisory skills in CD (e.g.

Page | 33
coaching, development planning) and consecutively 20, 24, 23 respondents among 50
respondents marked those three points most important.

3.3 Interpretation and analysis on Career

Development
Q1. The leadership in my organization strongly supports career development of staff:

[In table 3] we see that

50% female bankers from
50 respondents are agreed
with that leadership of their
organization support their
career development staff.
Where 13 employees think
that partially agree or
disagree with the statement
and 8 people strongly agree
Figure 3.12: The leadership in my organization strongly supports career
with the same statement
development of staf
above. And only 8% employees are disagreeing with their leadership support on career
development.

Page | 34
Q2. Effective induction process in place that orients new staff

52% respondents are agreed

with the induction process helps
to orient new staff. And the
second highest response is 26%
people actually not agree or
disagree with this term. That
means they actually dont know
this point. And the 14% of the
total respondents disagree with
the effective induction process.
Figure 13.3: Efective induction process in place that orients new
[Table 4] staf

Q3. Understand skills and capabilities are that the organization requires in the next 5
years

From the respondents 50%

understand the skills and
capabilities that the organization
requires in next 5 years. 14%
understands less and 4%
employees said that they have
no idea about the skills and
capabilities that the organization
requires in the next 5 years.
Among 50 respondents 10 have
moderate idea about the
Figure 3.14: Understand skills and capabilities are that the organization
required skills and capabilities requires in the next 5 years

of the organization in next 5 years and only 6 persons that means 12% have good idea about
this. [Table 5]

Q4. Staffs understand the CD philosophy of the organization

Page | 35
[In table 6]Among the
respondents 54% employees
said that they understand the
career development
philosophy. 22% have a little
idea and 20% have no idea
about this philosophy. Only 1
stated that she have strong idea
about career development
philosophy of the organization.
Figure 3.15: Stafs understand the CD philosophy of the organization

Q5. Staff understands what their own role is in their CD

[In table 7] we see that 54% of the

respondents said that they understand
their role in their own career
development and 18% strongly
understand. 9 employees of 50 have
moderate knowledge regarding their
own career development. And 2%
employees have no idea what they
have to do to improve their career.

Figure 3.16: Staf understands what their own role is in their CD

Q6. CD is supported through a clear and well executed policy

Page | 36
40% of the respondents are may
be not aware of the fact that
career development supports a
clear and well executed policy or
not and this is the maximum
number of response here. And
again 40% of employees which is
20 employees of the 50
respondents think that career
development is supported through
a clear executed policy of their
Figure3.17: CD is supported through a clear and well executed policy
organization. 6 employees said
that they strongly agree with the executed policy to support their development in career.
[Table 9]

Q7. Supervisors are adequately trained to support CD of Staffs

[In table 10] Most of the employees are agreed with that their supervisors are well trained to
support their career, and the number is 27 out of 50. And then disagreement of this fact is in
the second top list. 8 people out of 50 think that their supervisors are not well trained to
support their career development in their organization. And 2% of employees which is very
few amount think that the top level supervisors dont support them or not well trained to
support them to improve their career.

Page | 37
Q8. Emphasis on Performance Appraisal to CD of Staffs

54% of employee which is

27 out of 50 employees
agreed with the term
emphasis on performance
appraisal. They think that
their performance appraisal
emphasis them to support
their development regarding
career. And then the 2nd
highest responses are
disagreeing and strongly
Figure 3.18: Emphasis on Performance Appraisal to CD of Stafs
agree. That means 20% of
employee disagrees with this and also 20% strongly agree with that their performance
appraisal emphasis on their career development. And a few numbers of employees that are
2% of employees think that their performance appraisal isnt well enough to develop their
career. [Table 11]

Q9. High quality training on technical skills is available to support CD of staff

In the matter of availability of high quality
training on technical skills to support
career development of staffs 36% of the
respondents agreed and 32% partially
agreed. 20% of the employees disagreed
about this from which 4% strongly
disagreed. Strongly agreement with the
matter of availability of high quality
training on technical skills to support the
career development is only 6%. [Table 12] Figure 3.19: High quality training on technical skills is
available to support CD of staf

Page | 38
Q10. High quality training on soft skills is available to support the CD

In the case of availability of support to career development of high quality training on soft
skills agreement is 36%, partially agreement is 42% and strongly agreement is 6%. The rate
of disagreement is 16% of which 4% strongly disagree with the availability of support to the
career development in high quality training on soft skills. [Table 13]

Q11. Challenging projects and assignments are available to staff to build new skill

[In table 15] 12 employees out of

50 said that there are no projects
and assignments available to the
stuffs that may help to develop
and build their skills. Both the
agreement and partial agreement
with this matter is 32%. 12% of
the respondents strongly agreed
that there are availability of
challenging projects and Figure 3.20: Challenging projects and assignments are available to
staf to build new skill
assignments to build their new
skills.

Q12. Testing, counseling, mentoring support and tools to staff to CD

[In table 16] 19 employees out of 50 said

that the supervisors tests them councils
with them and mentor them whether 17 on
them are partially agreed with this. 12% of
the employees said that the supervisors are
not concerned about testing, counseling
and mentoring support tools to staff to
career development.
Figure 3.21: Testing, counseling, mentoring support and
tools to staf to CD

Page | 39
Q13. Mobility policy that is an important part of the Development to Staffs

[In table 17] Out of 49 respondents 15 said that mobility policy is an important part of the
development to staffs and 15 are thinks this is moderate important. One gave no opinion in
this matter. Total 15 said that there is no importance of mobility policy.

Q14. Fair and transparent process for filling open positions

30% of employees think that the process policy is transparent and fair for filling open
positions. 36% employees are partially agree with this point that the process policy is
transparent and fair but 7 employees out of 49 employees think that filling process is not fair
enough in their perception. Here one thing is mentionable that 1 respondent didnt give her
feedback in this point. So the total number of respondent is 49 out of 50 here. [Table 18]

Q15. Promotes qualified internal people before hiring from outside

Here 34% of people believe that their organization promote their qualified employees before
hiring outsider but another point is that also 34% of employees also believe that partially
agree and disagree with this. Here 11 respondents from 49 respondents strongly believe that
their organization promote their employees before getting the employees from outsiders.
[Table 19]

Q16. There is a good process to understand key drivers of staff motivation To CD

[In table 20] 44% of respondents think that the process to understand the key drivers are well
enough for the employees of their organizations. The number of respondents is 22 out of 48.
Here 2 respondents didnt respond. And also 30% of respondents partially agree with the
process to motivate that staff. And here 7 employees out of 48 disagree with the motivation
process. And here a positive thing is that no one strongly disagrees with the term motivation
process to understand the key drive.

Page | 40
3.4 Interpretations and analysis of
Descriptive Statistics

Career Development Questionnaires (Q1-Q5)

The leadership in understand skills
my organization effective and capabilities
strongly supports induction are that the Staff understand
career process in place organization the CD Staff understand
development of that orients new requires in the philosophy of the what their own
staff: staff next 5 years: organization role is in their CD

N Valid 50 50 50 49 50

Missing 0 0 0 1 0

Mean 3.74 3.54 3.52 3.39 3.78

Median 4.00 4.00 4.00 4.00 4.00

Mode 4 4 4 4 4

Std. Deviation .828 .838 1.015 .837 .910

Variance .686 .702 1.030 .701 .828

Q1. The leadership in my organization strongly supports career development of staff:

In the statement of The leadership in my organization strongly supports career development
of staff all the respondents put their answer. As a result there is no missing information
according to statistics language. We have found mean as 3.74. This represents that average
respondents were near to Agree. In addition to that standard deviation is .828 notifies most of
the respondents opinion for that statement was between near to partially agree/ disagree to
mid-point of agree and strongly agree scale.

Q2. Effective induction process in place that orients new staff

In response to the statement effective induction process in place that orients new staff to
their role and expectation the entire respondent put their opinion denotes no missing
information exist. Mean result 3.54 articulates average respondents put their opinion between
near to partially agree/ disagree to agree scale in like art scale. Furthermore standard
deviation .838 strengthen that conclusion of most respondents opinion was between partially
agree/ disagree to agree scale.

Page | 41
Q3. Understand skills and capabilities are that the organization requires in the next 5
years:

All female bankers of our sample responded to the statement of staff understands skills and
capabilities that the organization requires in the next 5 years which is rectified by no missing
information. Mean result 3.52 dictates that average respondents opined just between third
scale partially agree/ disagree and fourth scale agree. Standard deviation 1.015 clarifies
that respondents opinion differs between mid-points of disagree and partially
disagree/agree to mid-points of agree am strongly agree.

Q4. Staffs understand the CD philosophy of the organization

One respondent avoid giving her opinion on the statement Staff understand the CD
philosophy of the organization. Mean result 3.39 shows that average respondents are opined
very close to third scale partially agree/ disagree. Standard deviation .837 specifies that
respondents opinion deviated between middle of disagree and partially agree/ disagree to
middle of Agree to strongly agree.

Q5. Staff understands what their own role is in their CD

There is no missing information in that statement Staff understand what their own role is in
their CD. Mean 3.78 specifies average responses of the respondents are near to fourth scale
of like art scale which is agree. Besides standard deviation .910 denotes that respondents
opinion is between near to partially agree/ disagree to near to strongly agree.

Page | 42
 Career Development Questionnaires (Q6-Q10)
High quality
training on
CD is supported Supervisors are Emphasis on technical skills is High quality
through a clear and adequately trained Performance available to training on soft
well executed to support CD of Appraisal to CD of support CD of skills is available
policy Staffs Staffs staff to support the CD

N Valid 50 50 50 49 50

Missing 0 0 0 1 0

Mean 3.56 3.62 3.62 3.27 3.28

Median 4.00 4.00 4.00 3.00 3.00

Mode 3a 4 4 4 3

Std. Deviation .812 .987 .923 .995 .904

Variance .660 .975 .853 .991 .818

a. Multiple modes exist. The smallest value is shown

Q6. Career Development is supported through a clear and well executed policy:

From the respond of 50 respondent the research finds that the Mean = 3.56 it mean that the
average respond lies at the point of where they are Partially Agree/Partially disagree with the
statement that Career Development is supported through a clear and well executed policy.
Here Median = 4, implies that the mid-point lies in the choice Agree. Here Mode = 3 it
means that most of the respondents are partially agree/Partially disagree. Here, Standard
Deviation = .812 denotes that the respondent are .812 scattered from the mean and lies mostly
between the points Agree and Disagree. So the research can conclude that in case of
career development support and well executed policy employees are partially agree/partially
disagree with the current position of their organization.

Q7. Supervisors are adequately trained to support Career Development of Staffs

In the response of this question the research finds a statistical mean of 3.62 that means that
the average response is in the point of Partially Agree/Partially Disagree and Agree and the
Standard Deviation = .987 which means that the respondents response scattered mostly from
the point of Disagree to some extent Agree in to some extent. So the research can
conclude that in case of supervisors training and support respondents are at the point that they
are Agree (Mean=3.62) with the statement to some extent.

Page | 43
Q8 Emphasis on Performance Appraisal to CD of Staffs:

In case of Emphasis on Performance Appraisal to CD of Staffs the mean of response is 3.62

that implies that the average response of the respondents is at the point between Partially
agree/ partially disagree and Agree. Here Standard Deviation = .923 denotes that the
response are scatter between from the point of Disagree to some extent Agree in to some
extent. So in case of Emphasis on Performance Appraisal to CD of Staffs the research can
conclude that female employees are satisfied to some extent with the existing condition.

Q9 High quality training on technical skills is available to support CD of staff

The average response of the respondents lies at the point of Partially Agree/Partially
Disagree as the mean = 3.27and the Standard Deviation = .995 denotes that the responses
from the respondents varies from Strongly Disagree to Agree to some extent. So in fine
in case of training on technical skills which are provided by the organizations are not very
much satisfactory as well as not dis-satisfactory.

Q10 High quality training on soft skills is available to support the CD:

In terms of High quality training on soft skills is availability to support the career
development to perform non-technical aspects of the work, the respondents responses have a
mean = 3.28 that means the respondents average response lies in the scale of Partially
Agree/Partially Disagree and the Standard Deviation = .904 implies that the most of the
response lies between the point Strongly Disagree to Disagree and Closer to the point
Agree. The research can draw conclusion that the currently offered trainings on soft skill to
support the career development of their organizations are not adequate as well as not up to the
mark.

Page | 44
 Career Development Questionnaires (Q10-Q16)
Challenging Testing, Mobility policy There is a good
projects and counseling, that is an fair and promotes process to
assignments are mentoring important part transparent qualified understand key
available to support and of the process for internal people drivers of staff
staff to build tools to staff to Development filling open before hiring motivation To
new skill CD to Staffs positions from outside CD

N Valid 50 50 49 49 49 48

Missing 0 0 1 1 1 2

Mean 3.32 3.42 3.12 3.53 3.69 3.48

Median 3.00 3.50 3.00 3.00 4.00 4.00

Mode 3a 4 3a 3 3a 4

Std. Deviation .978 .992 1.033 .960 .962 .850

Variance .957 .983 1.068 .921 .925 .723

a. Multiple modes exist. The smallest value is shown

Q11 Challenging projects and assignments are available to staff to build new skill

From the response of 50 respondent the research finds that the Mean = 3.32 it mean that the
average respond lies at the point of where they are Partially Agree/Partially disagree with the
statement that challenging projects and assignments are available to staff to build new skill in
their organization. Here Median = 3, implies that the mid-point lies in the choice Partially
agree/Partially disagree. Here Mode = 3 it means that most of the respondents are Partially
agree/Partially disagree. Here, Standard Deviation = .978 denotes that the respondent are .
978 scattered from the mean and lies mostly between the points Agree and Disagree. So
the research can conclude that in case of availability of projects and assignments to build the
stuffs new skills, employees are partially agree/partially disagree with the current position of
their organization.

Q12. Testing, counseling, mentoring support and tools to staff to CD

In case of testing, counseling and mentoring support to staff the mean is 3.42 that means the
average respond lies at the point of where they are Partially Agree/Partially disagree that
they get the proper testing, counseling, mentoring support from the supervisors. Here Median
3.50 that means it lies between agree and Partially agree/Partially disagree. Here Mode 4

Page | 45
that means they are agrees with the matter. Standard deviation .992 that means respondents
are .992 scattered from the mean and lies mostly between the points Agree and Partially
agree/Partially disagree.

So the as per the response the available testing, counseling, mentoring support and tools to
staff to career development provided be their organization they are satisfied to some extent
regarding the current opportunities for their career development.

Q13. Mobility policy that is an important part of the Development to Staffs

In terms of the importance of mobility policy as a part of development process respondents

have a mean = 3.12 that means the respondents average response lies in the scale of Partially
Agree/Partially Disagree and the Standard Deviation = 1.033 implies that the most of the
response lies between the point Partially agree/disagree and Closer to the point Agree.
The research can draw conclusion that Mobility policy has an average importance to the
Development of staffs career development of their organizations.

Q14. Fair and transparent process for filling open positions

In case of fairness and transparency for filling open positions the average of the respondents
shows the mean 3.53 which means their opinion lies between agree and partially
agree/partially disagree. The standard deviation is .960 which shows how scattered the
opinions of the respondents responses are. So, the available policy regarding fair and
transparent process for filling open positions are fair and reliable to some extent as they
believe.

Q15. Promotes qualified internal people before hiring from outside

In case of promotion qualified people get preference or not in this type of question the survey
shows that the respondents mean is 3.69 and median is 4. This indicates that they agree with
the statement that most are promoted from internal employees if they are qualified. Here the
standard deviation is .962 denotes that the responses from the respondents varies from
Strongly agree to Disagree to some extent. As per the respondents opinion most of the
promotions are given to the internal qualified employees and if there is no qualified person at
that time they hire from outside.

Q16. There is a good process to understand key drivers of staff motivation to CD

Page | 46
There is a good process to understand key drivers of staff motivation to career development
in this statement the respondents mean is 3.48 which lies between agree and partially agree/
partially disagree. The standard deviation here is .850 which means the responses are .850
scattered from the mean and lies mostly between the points Agree and Disagree. This
result indicates that the stuff motivation to career development is not adequate and it needs to
be developed.

4.1 Findings of the Study

Page | 47
3.1.1 Findings related to Demographic
i. Here we find that there is less participation of women in the top level. Banking profession
to female was not so much popular earlier as it is now. To reach the top level an employee
must have several year experiences. So we find a little contribution of female employee in
banking.

ii. In last 10 years this profession has become popular to female employee thats why we find
a good contribution of female in supervisory level and lower levels of that.

4.1.2 Findings related to Challenges and Priorities

i. The Biggest Challenges Organizations Face Today
Few programs and processes for career development, lack of capability to implement career
development practices, low staff motivation and unrealistic expectations of staff are the
biggest challenges that private commercial banks in Bangladesh are faced in their efforts to
provide career development opportunities to its staffs today.

ii. Important Areas Organizations Should Focus to ensure Career Development:

Female employees in private banking sector think that to ensure proper and expected career
development banks must ensure General and Soft Technical Skills as well as have to enhance
Supervisory skills through confirming coaching, development Planning within next five
years.

4.1.3 Findings related to career development

i. Leadership of the organizations somehow appreciating to support female employees
career development as we have found average answer of the employees are very
close to agree.

ii. Organizations have taken effective induction process in orienting new staff in their
role. At the same time it is clear that the effective induction process is not enough to
meet the employees need. As we have identified that female employees were partially
agree or partially disagree.

iii. Female employees understanding regarding required key skills and capabilities that
will be used in next 5 years is not clear to them. As employees did not agree or
partially agree rather average opinion of the employees were middle of these two
degree.

iv. Most of the female employees of banking sector negatively opined to the statement
regarding their understanding of developmental philosophy of the organization. So

Page | 48
 we can summarized that female employees do not Cleary understand the career
development philosophy of the organization.

v. Female employees have; more or less; some extent of understanding of their own role
regarding career development. But this understanding could have been much better.

vi. Career development is supported by clear and well executed policy. But the policy is
not satisfactorily cleared and executed as average opinion of the respondents were just
between partially agree and agree.

vii. Supervisors are trained to support career development policy but not adequately
trained, as average opinion of the respondents is between partially agree and partially
disagree.

viii. Performance appraisal process places sufficient emphasis on career development.

Average respondents nearly agreed to the statement.

ix. In case of training on technical skills which are provided by the organizations are not
very much satisfactory as well as not dis-satisfactory.

x. The research can draw conclusion that the currently offered trainings on soft skill to
support the career development of their organizations are not adequate or not up to the
mark.

xi. The research can conclude that in case of availability of challenging projects and
assignments to build the stuffs new skills, employees are partially agree/partially
disagree with the current position of their organization.

xii. As per the response, the availability of testing, counseling, mentoring support and
tools to staff to career development provided by their organization are satisfactory to
some extent regarding the current opportunities for their career development.

xiii. The research can draw conclusion that Mobility policy has an average importance to
the Development of staffs career development of their organizations.

xiv. So, the available policy regarding fair and transparent process for filling open
positions are fair and reliable to some extent as respondents opine between partially
agree and agree.

xv. As per the respondents opinion most of the promotions are given to the internal
qualified employees and if there is no qualified person at that time they hire from
outside.

xvi. This study indicates that the stuff motivation to career development is not adequate as
average respondents opine at near to partially agree or disagree level. and

4.1.4 Findings from Open Response

i. Single Most Important Action organizations should take to Career Development:

Page | 49
Employees are asked for finding out the most important action that they think their
organizations could take to support the career development of the staff but their response
varies a lot. They find the following aspects to develop their career should be taken by their
organizations. These includes to ensure

More seminars and training program,

New program implementation,
More motivation and inspiration,
Child and old care,
Work life balance,
Training from abroad,
Integrated career development process,
More staff support,
Mentoring and counseling.

ii. Additional Career Development Support Can be:

As the response varies to a greater extent but the response find that employees prefer to have
the following support from their organization.

More fair and transparent promotion policy rather than unethical lobbying,
Equal Employment Opportunities (EOQ)
Some of them argued to ensure degree from abroad
Ensure promotions based on performances
And to ensure more technical training regarding up to date technologies.
Programs to enhance analytical abilities.

iii. Biggest Challenges to Female Employees to Career Development:

To the employees they are faced with the below sated problems to develop their career as per
their opinion:

Work life Balance

Gender Discrimination
Monotones sector discourage to continue
Having family as a barrier
Unethical Lobbying

4.2 Recommendations
4.2.1 Recommendations on Challenges and Priorities:

Page | 50
 i. The Biggest Challenges Organizations Face Today:
To ensure and provide proper career growth the private commercial banks in Bangladesh
have to overcome challenges like few programs and processes for career development, lack
of capability to implement career development practices, low staff motivation and unrealistic
expectations of staff

ii. Important Areas Organizations Should Focus to ensure Career Development:

Organization should put their special attention on training general technical, soft skill
training general soft skills, developing supervisory skills to ensure expected career
development for their female employees,

4.2.2 Recommendations on Career Development

i. Provide enough instruction to female employees so that they can understand what
skills they need in next 5 years.
ii. Organization should take enough steps so that female employees understand
organization policy regarding career development.
iii. Encourage self-exploration for female employees to let them aware of their own
responsibilities and role.
iv. Career development should have been more clarified to female employees and policy
must have to be we executed.
v. Organization should put their close look on training aspects of its supervisors who are
responsible for implementing career development policy.
vi. Try to design the performance appraisal more significantly as a process of continuous
improvement.

vii. Make technical training more comprehensive ensures satisfaction of female

employees and removes dissatisfaction level completely.
viii. Take initiative to develop high quality of skill to help female employees performing
non-tech work.
ix. Involve female employees on more challenging projects and assignments.
x. Policy regarding filling open position must have to be fair and transparent enough to
all female employees.
xi. Staff motivation to career development needs to be developed.

4.2.3 Open Recommendations

i. In the time socialization, each and every employee should be inculcated clear
perception regarding career development in addition to that provide a clear pictures
that help them to paint a clear differentiation and vertical hierarchical mobility.

Page | 51
 ii. Perspective organizations should ensure various career development activities through
conducting research on the challenges and priorities to career development of their
female employees as well as for male employees.
iii. Must ensure equal employment opportunity for all employees within an organization.
iv. Let the employees capable of facing challenges. In order to do that organization
should organize seminar, workshop on career development.
v. Convey a true and comprehensive meaning of career development to the women
employees.
vi. Help the female employees in balancing family responsibilities and work employees.
To ensure that organization can introduce child care, old care, flexible shifting etc.
vii. Arrange training on technical skills and software operation.
viii. Always provide an overview of work and skill requirements that may requires in after
5 years. So that female workers may ready to the future requirements both
psychologically and technically.
ix. Encourage female workers to be active part of challenging projects and assignments.
x. Prepare female workers to avail top executive position and appoint female employees
to top executive positions. This kind of behavior of an organization will encourage
others to step ahead.
xi. Transportation facilities to all employees, especially for female employees.
xii. Female bankers should be more inspired to take responsibility that will make them
enthuastically to take more responsibility to their career development.
xiii. Developing an arrangement through which female bankers contributions on specific
sectors will be publically recognized so that other female workers become more
stimulated.

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4.3 Priority Matrix

1. Encourage self-exploration 1. Training for supervisors

2. Performance appraisal 2. Child care, old care, flexible
3. Understand organizational Importantshifting
policy
4. Training - general technical 3. Transportation Facilities

Urgent Not Urgent

Not important

1. Training and development

2. Provide enough instructions
1. Challenging projects and
3. Employees skill
assignments for employees.
development
2. Equal employment
4. Stuff motivation for CD
opportunity
5. Soft skill training
3. Inspire to take
6. Fare & transparent
responsibility
promotion policy

Figure 4.1: Priority Matrix

Page | 53
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