Women now hold 44.7% of board positions in FTSE 100 companies, making the UK one of the top countries for female representation at senior levels. Progress, right? Yes and no. While more women are in non-executive roles, the number of female CEOs in FTSE 350 companies has actually dropped, from 20 to 19.
We talk a lot about gender diversity, but here’s the uncomfortable truth: many organisations celebrate the optics of representation without shifting real power dynamics. Women may be in the room, but do they have the same opportunities to lead?
I’ve worked with businesses that genuinely want to support women into leadership roles, but when you look closely, there’s still a structural glass ceiling. The pipeline exists, but somewhere between mid-career and the executive level, female talent disappears, obviously not because women aren’t capable, but because the system hasn’t evolved to support them.
A woman may be encouraged to take on leadership responsibility, but what happens when she faces unspoken biases, limited sponsorship, or outdated expectations around work-life balance? Many organisations think they’ve done their part by hiring women at senior levels, but if there’s no culture shift to retain and elevate them, they’ll end up leaving – or being sidelined into roles with influence but not decision-making power.
Where Has This Happened?
The latest research shows that despite visible gains in board representation:
• FTSE 350 female CEO numbers have dropped: There are now fewer women leading top UK companies than last year. (The Guardian, Feb 2025)
• Women still face the ‘maternity penalty’: Career progression stalls after career breaks, and flexible working arrangements often aren’t designed with leadership roles in mind. (Reuters, Feb 2025)
• Bias still shapes leadership opportunities: Women aren’t being sponsored or mentored into top roles at the same rate as men. This isn’t just about individual talent, it’s about structural obstacles.
• Diversity without inclusion isn’t enough: A business can have gender balance on paper, but if women don’t have the same influence, visibility, or career progression pathways, we’re just ticking boxes.
How Do We Fix This?
If businesses genuinely want to close the leadership gap, they need to move beyond surface-level diversity and focus on systemic change. That means:
- Equitable Parental Leave & Career Progression: Leadership isn’t just about today—it’s about future potential. Organisations need structured return-to-work programmes, flexible leadership pathways, and career planning that doesn’t assume women will ‘opt out’.
- Rethinking Leadership Structures: If a company only values 24/7 availability, presenteeism, or outdated ‘command and control’ leadership styles, it will continue to filter out diverse talent, including women.
- Accountability for Change: Boards and leadership teams should be measuring and reporting on leadership progression data, not just overall representation figures. If women aren’t advancing, why not?
- Sponsorship, Not Just Mentorship: Women need real advocates—leaders who actively promote them for opportunities, put their names forward, and challenge biases when they see them.
- Fixing the Leadership Culture: If senior leadership is still a burnout factory, fewer women will opt in. The irony? The same workplace culture that prevents women from rising is the same one driving high turnover, stress, and disengagement across the board. A workplace that supports women into leadership is a workplace that supports everyone.
Let’s Talk
The question isn’t whether women can lead, that’s a massively stupid question, it’s whether workplaces are genuinely set up to let them. The problem isn’t women not stepping up, it’s companies not evolving fast enough to meet them halfway.
Are you seeing these patterns in your organisation? Let’s start the conversation.
#WomenInLeadership #DiversityAndInclusion #GenderEquality #Wellbeing #FutureOfWork #HR #OrganisationalCulture #EmployeeEngagement #Leadership
