Study: glass ceiling thick as ever in Denmark

Even in jobs traditionally dominated by women, men still have a much easier time ascending to management positions

Nurses and doctors

Men holding the advantage over women in the work environment isn’t a new phenomenon and there is still room for change.

A study from the University of Copenhagen conducted by associate professor Jan Thorhauge Frederiksen and with PhD student Simone Mejding Poulsen proves that men are still given lead opportunities more often than women.

The trend remains intact even in jobs that are traditionally considered ‘women’s jobs’, like being a nurse, social worker, pedagogue or a primary school teacher.

“We picked the four biggest welfare professions in Denmark and historically, these are professions with a majority of women practising them,” Poulsen told CPH Post newspaper.

READ ALSO: Government delivers new parental leave law

Over 40 years of research
The researchers used data from Danmarks Statistik relating to people who were trained for one of the four jobs mentioned above and who graduated in 1980, 1990, 2000, and 2010.

They then looked at their careers after five and ten years to see whether they had obtained a leadership position. That allowed them to observe potential changes in inequality over the period of 1980-2020.

And it has changed. For the worse.

This research points to the fact that men still enjoy a clear advantage over women – even when they are an absolute minority in a profession.

For instance, male public school teachers are six times as likely to secure management positions within the first five years after graduation compared to the female peers.

Another interesting finding is that women who graduated in 2010 have lower odds of landing leadership positions compared to women who graduated in 1980. And the inequality gap has widened further from 2010-2020.

READ ALSO: Report sheds new light on gender equality at work

The glass ceiling as thick as ever
When asked about the glass ceiling, a term used to describe the social barrier preventing women from being promoted to top management jobs, Poulsen said “our research shows that men have much better odds of obtaining a leadership position, especially within the first five years after graduation. Men are put on a fast track to advanced positions due to gender norms and biases.”

“It also raises the questions of whether a majority of women in a profession means that the field is ‘female-dominated’,” said Poulsen.

According to Poulsen, the explanation could be that “there are some major changes in how welfare professionals are organised during the period we have studied”.

These changes include the implementation of new public management reforms throughout the 1990s and the structure reform of 2007.

“These reforms have brought about new ways of organising management within these professional fields,” said Poulsen.

The research results call for further studies, but for now, nothing is in the pipeline.




  • Tunø: An island running out of time

    Tunø: An island running out of time

    The island of Tunø harbors a community of 74 adults and one child. There are no cars and only one connection to the rest of the world. Now, climate change threatens it

  • Cross-border moves on the rise in the Øresund region

    Cross-border moves on the rise in the Øresund region

    The number of relocations across the Øresund Region is rising. As highlighted by 2023 numbers, Sweden benefits from a growing interest, especially among younger generations.

  • In conversation with Conrad Molden: The man behind the mic

    In conversation with Conrad Molden: The man behind the mic

    He’s tickled our funny bone with countless wisecracks and clever wordplay, and in the process, made Denmark feel a little more personable to many expats. An international import himself, funny man Conrad Molden has successfully carved out a niche for himself on the Danish stand-up scene, but it’s taken a solid 13 years, much trial and error, and heaps of Danglish

  • Here Comes The Sun…

    Here Comes The Sun…

    I escaped from Denmark this winter to the south of France, where I was convinced that the sunshine would inspire me to write this year’s Crazy Christmas comedy show.

  • Volunteer Night 2025: when volunteering rhymes with integrating

    Volunteer Night 2025: when volunteering rhymes with integrating

    On Wednesday, April 30, from 17:00 to 20:00, Studenterhuset will host Volunteer Night 2025, a free event organized by the organization International House Copenhagen, which goal is to ease the relocation process for newcomers in Denmark

  • The international who shaped Copenhagen

    The international who shaped Copenhagen

    Anna Maria Indrio is one of the most important architects in Denmark, having contributed to shaping Copenhagen into what it is today. Among her best-known projects are the extension of SMK and Arken, as well as the Natural History Museum and the Darwin Centre in London. She moved here 60 years ago, when “Copenhagen was gray and dormant. Predictions suggested it would become depopulated. But putting people at the center changed everything,” she said

Connect Club is your gateway to a vibrant programme of events and an international community in Denmark.