Yesterday, I had the opportunity to speak at the HR summit on a question that has occupied my mind for years.
Why do so many capable women still leave organisations before they reach leadership?
As I was speaking, I realised that we’ve become very good at talking about gender diversity. We have policies, mentoring programmes, returnship initiatives, leadership development programmes, and hiring targets. All of these matter.
But I wonder if we’ve become so focused on bringing women into organisations that we don’t spend enough time asking what they’re experiencing once they’re here.
In my work with organisations, I’ve rarely seen women leave because they lacked capability or ambition. More often, I see them navigating a thousand small barriers that rarely make it into dashboards. The assumptions about who is “leadership material.” The stretch opportunity that goes to someone else. The feedback that’s different. The invisible expectations that quietly shape careers over time.
These moments may seem insignificant in isolation. Together, they influence who stays, who grows, and who eventually decides to leave.
Thank you to the FE Connect for bringing together leaders who are willing to have these conversations. The discussion didn’t end when the session did, and I hope it continues long after.
I’m curious to hear your perspective. What do you think is the biggest barrier that organisations still underestimate when it comes to women’s career progression?
#womenleadership #womenworkforce #workforcedevelopment #FEHRSummit2026 #FEHR2026