Why poor leadership is driving 50% of women away

Women are increasingly fed up with uninspiring leadership and a lack of career progression opportunities in their organisations.

New research has revealed the challenges that women are facing in the workforce. It’s reported that leadership, stress, and dissatisfaction are all playing a role in women wanting to jump ship.

The Voice of Women at Work 2023 report by Women Rising revealed that 50 per cent of women have considered a career change in the last 18 months.

Meanwhile, 34 per cent have thought about reducing their hours, 33 per cent have thought about taking a less demanding job, and 21 per cent of non-retirement-age women have considered leaving the workforce altogether.

Women Rising found a variety of reasons contributing to these ill feelings, namely poor confidence, bias, burnout, and a lack of strong leadership.

“Employers should be concerned by these findings. Women are leaving jobs and even whole careers behind because of leadership gaps that could be easily addressed,” said Women Rising founder and chief executive Megan Dalla-Camina.

Fifty-three per cent of respondents said they’ve experienced feelings of self-doubt in the workplace. Another 78 per cent have experienced burnout in the last 18 months, and 40 per cent have been hit hard by stress.

Career advancement is a top priority for women, with 50 per cent contemplating asking for a promotion in the last 18 months, 44 per cent asking for a pay rise, and 31 per cent looking to progress their careers by taking on a stretch assignment.

Progression is a non-negotiable for many, with 24 per cent of women who have left a position in the last 18 months doing so due to a lack of opportunities to advance their careers. Meanwhile, 74 per cent said they’d leave their employer if there was a lack of career development.

Ms Dalla-Camina continued: “While women are suffering from a lack of mentorship and sponsorship, they’re not sitting idly by waiting for their careers to happen. Many are ready to take action.”

“What’s clear is that organisations risk losing talented female employees if they do not move the needle on career and leadership development.”

However, just 8 per cent said they are thriving at work, and 63 per cent felt they aren’t fulfilling their potential.

Leaders should understand just how crucial it is to offer these opportunities. Support is also extremely important, with 84 per cent of women noting that manager support is needed to thrive at work. However, just 49 per cent said they have a supportive mentor at work, and another 19 per cent have an unsupportive manager.

“Providing women with direct support and mentoring is just one part of the solution. Modern leadership models require male leaders to develop the skills and knowledge to be more effective allies for women in the workplace,” said Ms Dalla-Camina.

“In order to better support women in their journey towards success, it is crucial for us to understand the challenges and opportunities that women face today.”