Finding and Retaining Female Talent

Fabiola H. Gerpott / Lioba A. Gierke / Sofia Schlamp  - January 23, 2025

Tips for practitioners

The status quo at most businesses hasn’t budged much: As of 2025, there are still very few women in leadership positions, and they are clearly in the minority when compared to their male colleagues. Despite countless efforts to promote equality and diversity, companies are still struggling to get women into managerial roles—and to keep them there. What little research there is on this subject is scattered across different disciplines and therefore rather confusing, and even today’s experts find it difficult to provide a concrete course of actions that companies can take to address the issue.

But now, Professor Fabiola H. Gerpott of the Chair of Leadership at WHU – Otto Beisheim School of Management, alongside fellow researchers Dr. Lioba A. Gierke and Dr. Sofia Schlamp, has taken a much closer look at which steps can be taken at an HR-level to help women obtain leadership positions and find long-term success in them: The answer lies in “gender-neutral” and “gender-sensitive” organizational measures.

Gender-neutral and gender-sensitive measures

Gender-neutral organizational measures are those which aim to achieve equality for all employees irrespective of one’s gender. These can range from a transparent recruiting process, one with clear and objective hiring criteria that guarantee equal opportunity, to an anonymous application process that prevents potential prejudices from influencing the subsequent selection process. Other examples include trainings that help employees recognize and mitigate any subconscious prejudice they might have, thereby contributing to a more just and fair assessment culture at the workplace. And finally, there are flexible working models, such as those which allow for remote work or “flexitime,” as these help all employees strike a balance between their professional and home lives.

Gender-sensitive measures, by comparison, intentionally focus on a specific gender (e.g., all women) or on gender-specific topics (e.g., informative events covering the challenges that women face in the workplace). Organizations that implement gender-sensitive measures are often those pursuing the goal of supporting women in particular. They might have mentoring programs designed to offer personalized support from experienced managers, or programs designed especially to advance women in the workplace, such as trainings or workshops centered on the common obstacles that female business leaders encounter. Another example comes in the form of events where participants share a common bond and which promote further dialoguing and networking. Even simply introducing a minimum hiring quota for female employees can send a strong message for equality and help dismantle the structural barriers that prevent women from advancing. Making successful business women more visible can inspire and motivate others to explore similar career paths.

Giving businesswomen the support they need

In their study, the research team makes use of the “employee lifecycle” concept (ELC) in order to analyze the different phases of a worker’s time at any given organization. In using the ELC concept, the authors were able to determine how and at which specific phases women should be given targeted support.

1. Recruiting and selection

The very nature of how the applicant process has been designed plays a decisive role here. Gender-neutral organizational measures, such as the use of gender-neutral language in job listings or transparent selection criteria, can help net more qualified (female) applicants. For example, this means clearly defining job requirements and anonymizing personal data (e.g., name or gender) in order to avoid subconscious prejudice. At the same time, assuming a gender-sensitive approach, such as intentionally including women on the hiring selection panel or approaching female candidates directly, is an active show of support for women at the workplace.

2. Learning and developing

Mentoring and coaching programs are crucial for women’s professional development. For example, a company could employ a gender-neutral approach by offering continued education programs and networking opportunities to all employees, thereby advancing the managerial skills seen across the entire organization. The company could also offer gender-sensitive events, such as mentoring programs just for women or networking events specifically for female managers. Such gender-sensitive programs take into account the specific challenges that women face in their careers and offer tailored support for overcoming them.

3. Performance appraisal

Objective and standardized assessment criteria are essential for avoiding gender bias. Gender-neutral measures here would be, for example, anonymous evaluation processes, during which performance is assessed independently of the employee’s personal attributes. Gender-sensitive measures could comprise processes that are specifically designed to give women in the workplace constructive feedback and support and present them with clear opportunities for their continued professional development.

4. Reward and retention

Fair compensation and transparent career growth opportunities are key for retaining female employees long term. Flexible working schemes and family-friendly offerings are examples of gender-neutral measures, as they allow all employees to achieve proper work-life balance. Additionally, gender-sensitive measures, such as advancement programs for women or tailored career planning, help break down barriers and allow women an easier climb up the corporate ladder.

5. Organizational setting

A corporate culture that values and strives for diversity is at the heart of gender equality. One gender-neutral measure at this phase could be the concerted effort to establish diversity and equality as pillars of the corporate philosophy. Gender-sensitive measures could be, for example, introducing a female quota or specific diversity programs. Companies could set themselves the goal of having a predetermined percentage of its leadership positions be occupied by women by a specific year in order to promote gender balance.

Literature reference and methodology

In “Which organisational context factors help women to obtain and retain leadership positions in the 21^st century? A systematic review and research agenda for human resource management,” the research team analyzes 87 relevant scientific articles. They structured the results of their research based on the concept of the employee lifecycle in order to derive practical recommendations for staff management.

• Gierke, L. A., Schlamp, S., & Gerpott, F. H. (2025): Which organisational context factors help women to obtain and retain leadership positions in the 21st century? A systematic review and research agenda for Human Resource Management. Human Resource Management Journal, 35(1), 336–370. https://doi.org/10.1111/1748-8583.12568