Building a path to leadership for women scientists

Experiences of health care scientists in the workplace identified strategies to increase the representation of women in senior positions.

Health care is an area where women scientists are often in the majority and are making a major impact. Despite this, they remain highly underrepresented in senior positions in their field.

In a study conducted in the UK, health care scientists reported different expectations for, and treatment of men and women in the workplace. For instance, men are encouraged to work on their own projects, challenge authority, and make decisions. Women on the other hand are expected to engage in support work, follow directions, and are excluded from decision-making.

Dealing with these different treatments by accepting these roles can harm women’s careers. Engaging in support work limits their time spent on research work. Following directions instead of taking charge decreases suitability for promotions in a culture that values masculine traits like confidence rather than feminine traits like cooperation. When women thus remain in less prestigious jobs, the notion that women are simply more suited for support roles, and not suited for science, is reinforced. Yet, not fitting into their feminine role also decreases chances for promotion due to being perceived as aggressive and unlikeable rather than confident.

Women are aware of these issues, but sometimes attribute it to reasons other than gender. Men justify the different treatment by claiming that women are simply better suited for support work, thus reinforcing the sexism that exists within the workplace.

The first step to addressing these problems is for scientists of all genders to recognize the many subtle ways that women are disadvantaged. Understanding and identifying workplace biases and gendered behaviors will enable strategies for change. When all scientists regardless of gender are encouraged to be independent thinkers and decision makers, more women can be recognized as successful leaders.

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Study Details

Sample size(s): 42 (31 women, 11 men, 38 health care scientists)

Participants: Women and men working as health care scientists, 4 participants were working in public scientific institutions including executives and board members)

Design: Qualitative, semi-structured interview

Reference:

Bevan, V., & Learmonth, M. (2013). ‘I wouldn’t say it’s sexism, except that… It’s all these little subtle things’: Health care scientists’ accounts of gender in health care science laboratories. Social Studies of Science, 43(1), 136–158.

Summarized by WinSights team members: Emily Ana Butler, Bianca Dreyer, Catherine Palm & Adrianna Tassone