Why Gender Equality Efforts Fail – And How to Turn Things Around A global consulting firm sought to equalize gender representation in its senior ranks, where women made up only around 10% of partners.

Initially, they focused on helping women rise to the top. However, after conducting research, they learned that the firm's culture of extreme work hours and constant availability stressed both women and men equally, leading to high turnover. This finding highlighted the need for more impactful solutions to advance gender equality.

Gender equality efforts often fail when they focus on performative actions rather than measurable results. Symbolic gestures, like International Women's Day posts or vague pledges, do not address the root causes of inequality. Additionally, gender equality efforts are often treated as peripheral, rather than integrated into core operations. Unconscious bias training, for example, doesn't change how work is done, and women's networks are often cut when budgets are slashed. Special events, like speaker series, are easily skipped. Furthermore, many startups treat gender equality as an afterthought, addressing it only once the business is "up and running," leading to biased decisions.

The real problem is investing in ineffective solutions. However, research has shown what works—embedding fairness into organizational practices. Hiring, onboarding, performance evaluations, promotions, policies on compensation, flexible work, and parental leave need to be adjusted to promote fairness. Startups are in an ideal position to do this from the beginning, making it easier than changing existing processes.

For the consulting firm, the culprit driving gender inequality was a culture of overwork, which both men and women disliked but impacted women more, as they were more likely to use flexible working options like reduced hours and leave. Because flexibility wasn't part of the culture, women were penalized for these choices. Some companies, however, have successfully created gender-inclusive flexibility. Investment company Abrdn offers 40 weeks of paid parental leave for UK employees, while Aviva offers equal parental leave for mothers and fathers. Two UK banks saw increased adoption of flexible work among men once they learned most of their peers used it.

Changing systems goes beyond formal processes. For example, Phoenix Group created an environment where everyone could perform their best by assigning an executive sponsor to guide employees through presentations. Ericsson set leadership goals for women, and sharing those goals, along with financial incentives for leaders to meet them, boosted women's leadership aspirations. The BBC's 50:50 The Equality Project promoted equal representation in its journalism.

These examples show that creating gender-equal workplaces isn't about splashy events or proclamations. It involves small, often low-cost changes that redesign systems to move beyond performative gestures toward real progress. Structural solutions like these are proven to drive gender equality and create fairer, more enjoyable workplaces for all.