Women in the Netherlands hold a mere 19 percent of top positions, well below the European average of 29 percent, consulting firm Mercer concludes.

On average, 71 percent of executive and managerial posts in Europe are filled by men, Mercer says, based on a survey it conducted among 5,321 companies in over 30 countries.

Mercer attributes Holland’s lagging performance to the fact that many women in the country work part-time, which make it harder to reach the top. It also notes that men in key posts tend to hire other men, a habit that is apparently hard to break.

Former Eastern bloc countries have the highest proportion of women at the top. Topping the list is Lithuania, with 44 percent of women at the top, followed by Bulgaria, with 43 percent. Russia comes third, with 40 percent.

(cl/imm)

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