Gulf businesses need to do more to have women in management – and retain them

“They gave the promotion that was meant for me to a woman just because the company wants to favor them now,” a senior executive from a multinational in Dubai told me. “What happened to meritocracy?”

“There is a Women’s Day in companies, but no ‘Men’s Day’. We have never consciously discriminated against women, and now we are being discriminated against. Why?” another executive asked me.

“I don’t understand why women leave if we don’t discriminate against them at all. Is it because of children? Or are they just not ambitious?” questioned a Gulf multinational’s CEO .

Let me shed some light on these questions and share what’s holding women back at work in the region, drawing from my experience writing two books on women and building two companies focused on women’s empowerment and inclusion.

You might be wondering - “Why does this matter to me?” 

Because when women are held back, companies are too — along with profits, productivity, and innovation. Even bonuses, including men’s, take a hit. Don’t believe me?

The studies are clear: companies with 30% of women in leadership positions see a 6% increase in profits, according to Ernst & Young. There is 38% more innovation, according to Boston Consulting Group, and higher productivity. In fact, in the GCC, 70% of top-performing teams have a higher percentage of women.

There are ambitious, determined and ready-to-lead women in the region. But external factors are still holding then back, the most important being the biases and stereotypes that are still ingrained in society, organizations, structures  and processes. Don’t tell me you don’t have biases because even I, who have worked in this field since 2009, still have them.

We all do. Trust me, or if not, trust science. And it’s not just in this region; it’s a global issue. But what are these biases?

The most common is the ‘motherhood penalty’. We assume that women with children are no longer interested in their careers. However, Harvard Business Review shows that high-achieving women are not slowing down for kids.

They seek lateral moves or flexible workplaces, even starting their own businesses, because they want to succeed.  Studies in the book ‘Maternity as a Master’ indicate that motherhood enhances their professional skills, including greater productivity and better handling of complex situations.

Another significant bias are the ‘double bind’ or ‘likeability bias’. What do you think of an assertive woman? Bossy, right? And if she is empathetic and emotional? Not much of a leader, correct?

This is exactly the problem: no matter what women do, they are not seen as leaders. In hiring and promotion processes, men are judged on their potential, while women are judged on their achievements, hindering their progress.

Just not getting any mentoring

Let’s not forget the lack of mentorship and sponsorship, which is essential for climbing the corporate ladder. An Oliver Wyman study in the UAE financial sector found that 46% of women lack mentors or sponsors, slowing their growth.

When women return home from work, if their partner does not share domestic responsibilities, they face a second shift of household chores on top of proving their worth at the office.

But not all obstacles are external. Women also hold themselves back due to impostor syndrome and lack of confidence.

A KPMG study found that 75% of women experience self-doubt and impostor syndrome, fueled by stereotypes and the lack of role models. I experienced this lack of confidence myself when I faced cyberbullying in Istanbul after publishing my first book.

Ultimately, what holds women back is what holds companies and society back from progressing. So, if you are a business leader (most likely a man), start by becoming an ally and sponsor for women, both at home and at work. It’s time for companies to overcome biases, provide more flexibility, and most importantly, ensure equal pay.

If half of the population is held back, we lose out on $13 trillion in GDP growth, according to the UN, which could be achieved with gender equality. Are you ready to change that?