A serious, coordinated effort to provide equal opportunities for Czech men and women in the workplace may still be in its infancy, but the situation is improving.

In 2004, women made up nearly 47 percent of the country's work force, according to the Czech Statistical Office. While women account for 38 percent of lawmakers, managers and executives, they also work in 75 percent of the Czech Republic's lower administration positions.

A handful of companies are striving to close the gap.

In a recent competition, Hewlett-Packard, IBM, Oskar and PricewaterhouseCoopers were ranked the best equal-opportunity employers in the Czech Republic.

"Equal opportunities ... have not become a [widespread,] important and respected topic in the Czech Republic," according to Gender Studies, the nonprofit organization that ran the contest and that studies relations between women and men and their positions in society.

"One reason is that equal opportunities have not been demanded by the public," said Alexandra Jachanová Doleželová, a project manager at Gender Studies. Another is the "perceived lack of profitability for the support of equals."

The competition is a means of promoting equal opportunities in the Czech Republic and rewarding companies that address the topic. This year, one of the focuses was on women in decision-making positions.

Calling the shots

At Oskar Vodaphone, 48 percent of the mobile carrier's 2,207 employees are women. Nearly 40 percent of the company's management team is women and four of the eight top management spots are filled by women.

"Oskar Vodaphone has always focused to maintain a well-balanced male-to-female ratio of managerial and nonmanagerial employees," spokesman Jakub Hrabovský said. "Equal opportunities have been a priority for Oskar since the beginning of the corporation."

Hewlett-Packard took first place this year. The information technology company was commended for its "Top Talent List," a program that identifies potential managers early in their careers and provides support to improve their professional skills. One of the program's goals is to place 30 percent of female managers in top management positions, the same percentage of women employed at Hewlett-Packard.

In the Czech Republic, 20 percent to 25 percent of Hewlett-Packard's employees are women, a number the company wants to increase, said Denisa Bellinger, an attorney and the company's "diversity champion."

Bellinger said the percentage of women in different jobs depends on the position, but declined to provide specific numbers.

"If it is a technical job there are usually not as many female candidates, but we are trying to attract more women," Bellinger said. "We appreciate female applicants."

Speaking on behalf of Jana Řešátková and Romana Káňová, two women who completed the program last summer, Bellinger said both valued the program as a "great opportunity to improve different managerial skills through interactive workshops and life training sessions."

Leadership networking

Programs like "Taking the Stage" and the Women's Leadership Council landed IBM second place. The former helps teach IBM women how to achieve a strong leadership presence in all speaking situations, from the boardroom and the conference center to the telephone call. The second works to promote the contributions of women to the company.

The program is designed to strengthen the leadership skills of IBM women through structured discussion and provide them with an opportunity to network and build relationships.

Like Hewlett-Packard, IBM declined to disclose the number of employees working in the Czech Republic, but the current female population represents 21 percent of IBM's staff here, according to Petr Draxler, the company's human resources director.

"Having great programs in place isn't the only pre-requisite to increase the female population among local IBM employees," Draxler said. Another challenge, specifically in the Czech Republic, is "that the IT industry is considered mainly to be a male club."

Oskar Vodaphone and PricewaterhouseCoopers were tied for third place in the contest.

Companies that choose to participate are first judged on a series of questionnaires and face-to-face interviews. Winners are then selected by a committee of experts in human resources, equal-opportunity employment and top business leadership.