Dear design industry: women are still conspicuously absent in leadership positions

I founded the diversity network KTG (Kerning the Gap) in 2016 when I was in my first managing director role. My imposter syndrome was abating, and I finally felt, looking down at my business card (remember them?), that I could officially call myself a “woman in leadership.” It was the exact same moment that I realized that I now not only had the opportunity but the responsibility to do something about the fact that I was seeing fewer and fewer women at the tables I was now sitting at.

The first step in setting up the network was putting out an invitation to the industry essentially saying, ‘Surely we can do something about this?’ Thankfully I uncovered an outpouring of people – men and women – who wholeheartedly agreed.

24% of leadership roles occupied by women

While women make up a large portion of the design workforce, they are still woefully underrepresented in senior and leadership roles. In the UK, women account for around 63% of design graduates but this figure drops dramatically to just 18% when looking at directors or senior leadership positions. In the US, the picture is similar. A survey by AIGA in 2021 showed that while women make up around 61% of the design workforce, only 24% are in leadership roles.

There are many reasons for this disparity ranging from unconscious bias and a lack of mentorship to workplace cultures that don’t support the career trajectories of women, especially those balancing caregiving roles.

What is clear though, is that tackling this stuff needs a two-pronged approach. Yes, we definitely need to support the individuals in our businesses, giving them the support, skills and sponsorship they need to advance their careers but we also need to acknowledge that it is absolutely not the role of the individual to solve the issues of systemic under-representation and cultural practices that have made the landscape what it is.

In the last three years, there has been evidence of a modest increase of women getting into the UK design industry with the Design Council’s Design Economy 2021 Report demonstrating that the figure rose from 17% of the workforce in 2015 to 23% by 2020. There will need to be an industry-wide effort to make sure that this starts to translate to women being better-represented in leadership positions.

Movements to start making improvements are gaining traction in different territories. In the US programs such as AIGA’s Women Lead Initiative have emerged to challenge the same gender disparities that exist within American design firms. While the statistics are definitely improving, you’ll forgive me if I’m not popping the champagne just yet.

The pandemic had a profound effect on us all, with gender diversity efforts in the design industry facing both setbacks and opportunities. One of the most significant impacts was on working parents, many of whom bore the brunt of increased caregiving responsibilities during the pandemic. As remote work blurred the boundaries between personal and professional life, women – especially those in mid-career – found it increasingly difficult to balance these competing demands, which contributed to higher levels of burnout and even career exits.

However, the shift to remote work also brought unexpected advantages. Many companies realized that flexible working arrangements could open the door to a more diverse workforce, allowing women – particularly those with caregiving roles – to better balance their work and personal lives.

Losing women leaders leaves a hole in talent pipelines

On the downside, many diversity and inclusion initiatives were deprioritized in the face of economic survival, and the pandemic disproportionately affected women at work. They were more likely to experience job losses or furloughs and in many cases gender diversity efforts saw setbacks as businesses adapted to the new reality. These individuals may now be completely lost on the career pathway, instead opting for a more flexible life in freelance as their employers couldn’t offer them what they needed. This has left a gap as design businesses look for experienced directors or talent ready to be promoted but discover a hole in talent pipelines that has been growing over four years.

What can we do?

Retaining female and wider, diverse talent means creating workplace cultures that actively support work-life balance, particularly for those balancing caregiving responsibilities. Flexible working hours, remote working options and family-friendly policies are critical tools in supporting women through different stages of their careers. Every day we read a new headline about a major corporation deciding it’s done with hybrid working and now want people back in the office. It will also not have escaped your attention that the most vocal advocates of this shift back are the world’s male leaders.

While the primary focus for KTG is on gender, it’s crucial to recognize that women’s experiences in the workplace are also shaped by race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, and other identities. Women of color, LGBTQ+ women, and women with disabilities face additional layers of discrimination that must be addressed for true equality. As we seek to improve gender diversity, we must also tackle these intersecting issues to ensure that all those identifying as women can thrive.

Old-school pressure of presenteeism

The post-pandemic era offers an opportunity to rethink workplace structures and to embed flexibility into the DNA of design organizations, making them more inclusive environments for all. Take this as a personal appeal from me to look again at that ‘return to the office’ policy and ask yourself if it’s really productivity and collaboration you’re looking for, and not just the old-school pressure of presenteeism.

To truly close the gender gap, the design industry must be proactive. This means continuing to push for transparency in reporting on gender diversity, setting clear benchmarks, and holding agencies and companies accountable for meeting these goals.

But the focus can’t just be on getting women into leadership roles; it must also ensure that they are supported and sustained once they get there. Programs that create pathways for women to rise within their organizations and that offer ongoing mentorship and sponsorship will be key to building a more gender-diverse future.

This is the other major change I’ve seen in the last 10 years; there are now swathes of amazing initiatives and networks championing and helping to implement the changes we need to see. (If this piece has made you think ‘yeah we really do need to do more…’ reach out to one of the brilliant groups that are building this stuff and get that much needed boost to your efforts. We’re all here to help, I promise.

Resources:

Kerning the Gap

Kerning the Gap champions gender equality in design leadership by providing mentorship programs and platforms to support women’s progression in senior design roles. It’s a key advocate for breaking the glass ceiling for women in the creative industry.

Get Even by How&How

How&How is launching GetEven – a studio-funded initiative to help any woman in the creative industry gain access and support to a range of advice: from leadership and confidence skills to budgeting, investing and negotiating salaries.

UPFRONT

UPFRONT is a global movement dedicated to building confidence, particularly for women and marginalized groups, by transforming how they engage in public speaking and leadership

Ladies, Wine & Design

Founded by designer Jessica Walsh, this global initiative provides mentorship and networking for women in design. It encourages conversations about gender, creativity, and leadership, aiming to foster a supportive environment for female designers.

The 3% Movement

Originally launched to address the fact that only 3% of creative directors were women, The 3% Movement now advocates for increasing gender diversity and women’s leadership in creative industries, including design.

SheSays

A global organization with a mission to increase the number of women in leadership roles in creative industries, SheSays provides networking events, mentoring, and career development for women in design and related fields.

If you want to speak with Nat you can find her here.