The public relations industry is often considered one that is ‘pink’ of ‘fluffy’, so why is that women are still not calling the shots at the most senior levels of the profession?

“In the 1990s Professors Larissa Grunig, Elizabeth Toth and Linda Childers Hon followed up the ’ roles research’ conducted by Professors Glen Broom and David Dozier which showed discrepancies in career progression, salaries, and roles between women and men in public relations. Extensive research was conducted in the USA, mostly quantitative and operating on the assumptions of Liberal feminism (Grunig et al., 2001; Toth and Aldoory, 2001). Liberal feminism argues that through argument and lobbying women can achieve equal status in society.” -  Jacquie L’Etang, Public Relations Concepts, Practice, and Critique, p254

The Grunig, Toth and Hon study, Women in Public Relations: How Gender Influences Practice (2001) is probably one the most comprehensive study on gender in public relations. They found that women prefer a career in the public relations field as the hurdles are too onerous and it is easier for them to retain professional status. Women view promotion in the industry more promising than others due to the fact that there are more women leaders in this field than others.

Public Relations is also considered an attractive career path for women as the skills which are needed to do the job are often attributed to females. Communication, empathy, net-working and multitasking is often encouraged in this industry, all characteristics which are typically afforded to women. However many feminist scholars argue that these positive qualities can be exploited by the industry and its male professionals. Women often perform ‘emotional labour’ listening, counseling and dealing with difficult people.

The more senior positions of providing counsel to senior executives is still more often left for the male colleagues. However when males perform this task, they do not have to subscribe to any gender-labelling; instead they are considered of the same status and stand along the legal and financial counselors.  Therefore the work that women do is described as ‘soft’, whereas men are seen to be doing the more hard-hitting, challenging jobs within the industry.

However, as Grunig, Toth and Hon confirm, young women are preferred by employers as they are viewed as being more adaptable, less ambitious and cheaper compared to young males entering the profession. It seems therefore that women do face the glass ceiling in the PR industry. The types of positions they are concentrated in have very little chances for promotion or climbing the career ladder.  Whilst entry level salaries are equal, the salary gap between men and women soon widens. Childbearing and rearing damages women’s career prospects. It seems then that women are ‘ghettoised’. Women do still face sexist attitudes and sexual harassment at work and can be particularly vulnerably exposed to clients.

As many gender studies suggest, it seems that more regulations and legislature needs to be brought in and enforced to make the chances for woman equal to that of men. Alongside this, employer’s attitudes must be changed. Also as Grunig, Toth and Hon conclude initiatives to tackle and improve women’s self-esteem and assertiveness at the workplace are needed.