Movement of women into senior management positions appears to be stagnating, it has been suggested.

An annual survey conducted by Dutch daily de Volkskrant shows that the upward movement of women into senior management positions appears to be grinding to a halt.

In 2008, the morning paper found a two per cent increase in the number of women in senior managerial positions.

However, in 2009 the increase fell to half a per cent, indicating a substantial slowdown in the rate of growth.

According to the report, Randstad tops the table with the largest number of women in senior management roles, followed by Publishers Reed Elsevier and WoltersKluwer, both of which also have a relatively large number of women in the higher echelons.

The Volkskrant survey is conducted among 30 leading corporations in the Netherlands. It makes an inventory of the number of female senior managers and board members.

Founded in 1960, recruitment and HR specialist Randstad employs around 28,000 globally from more than 4,000 offices worldwide.

Posted by Sarah Dixon