Career equality: Inclusion and opportunities in a professional service firm in Norway

The purpose of this study is to investigate inclusion, perceived opportunities and discrimination between men and women, across career levels, in a professional service firm in Norway.

A cross-sectional design with a survey was used. Employees across six different career levels in a large Norwegian professional service firm responded, resulting in a sample size of 912.

Men report higher levels of inclusion and more opportunities and less discrimination in the work place than women do. Patterns of differences between men and women vary across career levels. At early mid-career, men and women have the largest differences in opportunities and inclusion experiences.

A limitation with this study is the cross-sectional design and data collected from one company. This could limit the generalizability of the findings. Future research should include longitudinal designs. The empirical data demonstrate that men and women continue to have dissimilar experiences in the professional services, with women facing more career obstacles than men.

Organizations can implement policies that foster inclusive environments and ensure career equality by providing development opportunities for both men and women. It is important that professional service firms recognize that at different career levels, perceptions of inclusiveness can vary.

This study provides empirical evidence that women continue to face different types of treatment in professional service firms, and offers suggestions for addressing these inequalities by introducing the concept of inclusiveness.