Dr Valerie Stead was one of six leading UK researchers invited by the Government Equalities Office to provide evidence for their Workplace and Gender Equality Research Programme at a seminar focused on the theme of women’s progression in the workplace. The goal of this research programme is concerned to understand what works to close the gender pay gap and increase gender equality in the workplace. Presenting her published research on women’s experiences as leaders at middle management level, Valerie highlighted how a powerful mix of social stereotyping that foregrounds women’s gender rather than their leadership ability, and organisational practices that demand more work from women in leadership roles, such as providing gender balance on recruitment panels, can adversely affect women’s progression into senior roles.

The consequences are that women must work hard to be seen as leaders and must develop advanced political expertise that enables them to be selective in the tasks they take on. Organisations need to examine how policies and practices can reinforce stereotypes and develop measures to counter any negative effects.