Unconscious bias: A major hurdle preventing women from accessing leadership roles

Leadership & Management: In a powerful move towards fostering gender equity and diversity in the healthcare sector, the Australian Medical Association (AMA) is joining forces with Monash University’s Advancing Women in Healthcare Leadership (AWHL) team. Yesterday, AMA leaders across the nation gathered to present their progress on a national partnership aimed at breaking down barriers preventing women from taking on leadership roles in medicine.

The meeting, led by workshop lead and AWHL’s Chief Investigator, Professor Helena Teede, was a pivotal moment in reshaping the landscape of healthcare leadership in Australia. With one in four women currently working in the health and social care workforce, it’s shocking to realise that women remain significantly underrepresented in leadership positions within the healthcare industry.

Various barriers continue to impede women’s advancement into leadership positions, with factors like unconscious bias, career disruptions, external responsibilities, and gender-based credibility assumptions playing a pivotal role. Startling statistics reveal that although early career male and female doctors progress similarly, women are five times more likely to experience career interruptions due to family-related responsibilities, significantly impacting their professional growth.

Professor Steve Robson, President of the AMA, emphasised the organisation’s unwavering commitment to achieving gender diversity targets by the year 2024.

“The workshop marks a crucial step in our journey towards driving gender equity for women across the AMA and beyond,” said Professor Robson.

Increasing the representation of women across key leadership roles in a company – CEOs, Board members and the senior leadership team – delivers added company market value of between AUD $52m and AUD $70m per year for an average sized organisation, according to Workplace Gender Equality Agency (WGEA). Despite being unpopular across genders, quotas and targets improve career advancement, especially when supported by robust reporting.

The workshop led by Professor Teede identified key priorities and devised an action plan, implementation, and evaluation strategy, all aimed at supporting women in pursuing leadership and representative roles within and beyond the AMA.

A significant aspect that the workshop addressed is unconscious bias, a major hurdle that has long prevented women from accessing leadership opportunities. Professor Teede stated, “We challenged common misconceptions, debunked myths, and redefined the concept of merit to dismantle the barriers that have perpetuated gender inequity in the healthcare sector.”

Professor Robson firmly believes that the benefits of advancing women in leadership positions go beyond the walls of the AMA.

“We are striving to ensure that women hold 50% of federal AMA representative positions and actively advocating for equity throughout the medical profession,” he stated.

By championing gender equity, the AMA is not only promoting social justice within the workforce but also enhancing healthcare delivery and improving health outcomes for all Australians.

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