As organisations across the world continue to focus on diversity, equity, and inclusion, women’s leadership remains a critical topic. While progress has been made, challenges persist, particularly in sectors where leadership opportunities have historically been male-dominated.

Recent studies show that 66% of employees believe their workplace does not provide fair and equal opportunities for all. Despite policies aimed at gender equity, many women still face invisible barriers to advancement, including workplace bias, pay disparities, and work-life balance struggles. Although leadership representation has improved, women remain underrepresented in executive roles, and progress is occurring at a slow pace.

One staggering estimate suggests that the gender leadership gap will take 136 years to close at the current rate of change. While women now make up a larger share of the workforce and are pursuing leadership roles more than ever, barriers such as unconscious bias and outdated workplace structures continue to hinder progress.

So, what can be done to accelerate change? To explore this, Shannon Barlow, NZ Managing Director at Frog Recruitment, sat down with Natalie Ferguson and Kristen Lunman, Co-Founders of Powrsuit, to discuss the realities of women in leadership and practical steps organisations can take to support career progression for women.

"These gaps persist despite growing awareness.”

For Natalie Ferguson, the slow progress in gender leadership is concerning. “The world of work has existed for over 3,000 years, and women have participated in it for less than a hundred. That frames the problem well—yes, things are improving, but the progress is too slow.”

This slow progress isn’t just a problem for women—it affects everyone. Workplace structures that fail to accommodate dual-income households and caregiving responsibilities lead to burnout and wider economic consequences.

A significant barrier to women’s career progression remains the gender pay gap, which is even more pronounced for women of colour and Māori and Pasifika women in New Zealand. Kristen Lunman highlighted this issue, stating: “We are still only paid 91 cents on the dollar compared to men, and it’s worse for our women of colour. These gaps persist despite growing awareness.”

Women also take on a disproportionate share of non-promotable work—tasks that benefit an organisation but do not contribute to career advancement. This includes administrative duties, organising events, and workplace caregiving responsibilities, leaving them with less time to focus on high-impact strategic work that drives promotions.

Addressing Workplace Bias and Barriers to Leadership

Unconscious bias remains a major issue that prevents women from advancing. According to Natalie Ferguson, many biases are subtle but significantly impact career progression. “A common example is when a woman returns from parental leave, and managers assume she wouldn’t want to take on new opportunities because of her young child. That assumption—while framed as consideration—actually holds her back.”

Hiring processes, promotion pathways, and even workplace interactions can be shaped by unconscious bias. Kristen Lunman pointed out, “Hiring processes often rely on gut instinct, which is influenced by personal biases. The best person for the job is determined by those making the decisions, and if bias isn’t actively addressed, it reinforces existing inequalities.”

To counteract this, organisations need to actively review hiring and promotion processes to identify areas where bias may be present. Simple changes, such as blind resume screening, diverse hiring panels, and structured interview processes, can make a significant difference in ensuring fairness.

Strategies for Driving Meaningful Change

Creating real change requires action at both an individual and organisational level. Here are key strategies to support women’s leadership growth:

1. Invest in Women’s Leadership Development

Providing leadership training, mentorship, and career development opportunities for women ensures they have the skills and confidence needed to advance. Organisations that actively invest in their female workforce see improved retention and engagement rates.

2. Ensure Pay Transparency and Equity

The gender pay gap remains a critical issue. Businesses should conduct regular pay audits, set clear salary bands, and ensure transparent pay structures to address disparities and promote fairness.

3. Redefine Workplace Flexibility

Flexible work arrangements are essential for retaining top female talent. Offering remote work options, job-sharing opportunities, and structured parental leave return programs helps women balance career progression with personal responsibilities.

4. Remove Bias from Hiring and Promotion Processes

Recruitment and promotions should be structured, transparent, and objective. Implementing diverse hiring panels, using gender-neutral job descriptions, and measuring performance based on results rather than perceptions can help level the playing field.

5. Create Clear Career Advancement Pathways

Many women struggle with unclear promotion criteria. Providing transparent roadmaps for career progression, including mentorship programs and sponsorship opportunities, enables women to see a clear path forward.

6. Encourage Networking and Sponsorship

Traditional networking structures often exclude women due to time constraints and caregiving responsibilities. Encouraging inclusive networking opportunities, such as virtual networking or industry mentoring groups, allows women to build the connections needed to advance.

The Path Forward: Shaping the Future of Women’s Leadership

While progress in gender leadership equality is happening, it is moving too slowly to create immediate, meaningful change. Businesses must take proactive steps to ensure leadership opportunities are accessible to all, removing outdated barriers that hinder women’s advancement.

As Natalie Ferguson put it, “Instead of trying to ‘fix’ women by focusing on confidence or imposter syndrome, we need to change the systems that weren’t built with women in mind.”

The future of leadership depends on organisations investing in their female talent, recognising bias, and creating structured pathways for career growth. So, what immediate changes can your workplace make to better support women in leadership? Read on to explore how small actions today can drive lasting change for the next generation of leaders.