ManpowerGroup, the world leader in innovative workforce solutions and World Economic Forum (WEF) strategic partner, advises companies on how to address gender parity and lack of women leaders to maximize human potential and drive better business results.

Launched today at WEF Davos, ManpowerGroup’s new insight paper, “Cracking the Case – Why you need women leaders. How to get them and keep them,” details how unleashing the full potential of women leaders helps drive success across businesses and examines how companies can address the disconnect between what women want and what employers offer them.

ManpowerGroup’s annual Talent Shortage Survey revealed that of the 35% of employers struggling with talent shortages globally, only 24% are seeking to recruit from alternative talent sources and only 2% of these are actively recruiting women. Data from the World Economic Forum suggests a strong correlation between countries that are most successful at closing the gender gap, and those that are the most economically competitive. The research found that the companies with a high percentage of female employees, particularly in board positions, fare better than competitors.

This gap presents a unique opportunity for companies that are impacted by the global talent shortage and are pressured to expand their talent pipeline. The 862 million women not participating in the global economy remain the world’s greatest undertapped talent resource. As traditional ways of working are changing, organizations must address this conundrum by closely reexamining the one-size-fits-all HR programs that have not helped move women into employment or, even less so, into leadership roles.

“Growing the pipeline of women in leadership roles is critical to succeeding in the Human Age,” said Mara Swan, ManpowerGroup Executive Vice President, Global Strategy and Talent, and member of WEF’s Women Leaders and Gender Parity Program Advisory Board. “Women are being funneled out of the leadership roles through one-size-fits-all approaches to talent development that simply do not work. CEOs must adopt one-size-fits-one systems and reexamine their companies’ policies and cultures to drive this needed change across entire organizations.”ManpowerGroup, the world leader in innovative workforce solutions and World Economic Forum (WEF) strategic partner, advises companies on how to address gender parity and lack of women leaders to maximize human potential and drive better business results.