The barriers that keep women out of leadership roles have been well documented. And they’re persistent — increases in women’s share of leadership over time have been in the single digits. In fields with long or unpredictable schedules, with schedules that professionals can’t control, or with extensive travel, women’s representation in leadership is even lower.
Unpredictable Schedules Disproportionately Hurt Women’s Careers
And the gig economy may not solve the problem.
January 08, 2018
Summary.
In fields with long or unpredictable schedules, with schedules that professionals can’t control, or with extensive travel, women’s representation in leadership remains disproportionately low. One key reason is that many women are primary caretakers in their families, and unpredictable work schedules wreak havoc on caretaking plans. While many have argued that the more flexible gig economy will give women’s careers a boost, because contract work is more flexible, a study of one set of gig workers — theater directors — shows that this may not be the case. Women remain underrepresented in top leadership roles in theater despite making up about half of all deputy-level leaders.
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Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging Course
Accelerate your career with Harvard ManageMentor®. HBR Learning’s online leadership training helps you hone your skills with courses like Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging. Earn badges to share on LinkedIn and your resume. Access more than 40 courses trusted by Fortune 500 companies.
How to build a better, more just workplace.