Women at the Helm of Healthcare Leadership: Why It Matters

Women have proven to be outstanding leaders who motivate their teams and advance corporate purpose. Overlooking the benefits they bring both to the workforce and to its leadership can impact progress and innovation. So why are so few women finding themselves at the leadership table?

A recent study demonstrates that the majority of the global health workforce is made up of women (71%), and the greater part of the next wave of medical, biomedical and health sciences graduates are women (59%). Despite these numbers, it is mostly men who are seated at the leadership table, holding 75% of the leadership roles.

Looking at a higher level, corporate guidance and strategic discussions are often led by governing boards. They can play a crucial role in the oversight of a company, and yet 80% of board chair positions within the global health sector are held by men. In 2020, Statistics Canada took a closer look at board composition across sectors and found that 59.7% of boards did not have one woman director.

Given that the statistics demonstrate there is a significant gap between those who make up the global health workforce and those who determine its delivery and future, in some circles this is referred to as the “leaky pipeline”. This means women of equal skill are passed over for career advancements and the gap leads to a loss of perspective and talent within the sector.

When women are empowered to excel, we see significant benefits in a variety of ways. Studies have shown that female leaders have a more hands-on and transformational leadership style, and produce outcomes that promote the public good by way of compassion and inclusivity. There are also economic gains to be made. The Government of Canada stated that equal opportunities for women in the workplace could add $150 billion to Canada’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by 2026.

Women in leadership positions in healthcare can also be linked to positive health outcomes. According to the World Health Organization, several studies in India have shown that women leaders in health have led to increased expenditure on health facilities, prenatal care and immunizations, and a reduction in newborn mortality. Moreover, they give greater priority to rights, including sexual and reproductive rights, that apply to all genders. Having more women in leadership roles also increases the development of innovative treatments for women. A recent study by the Harvard Business School found that female research teams are 35% more likely than male teams to develop medical treatments that primarily benefit women.

So what can organizations and individuals do to ensure a healthy pipeline of capable and talented women leaders?

At Roche Canada, we support women with their career ambitions by ensuring policies and practices are in place for success. Brigitte Nolet, president and CEO of Roche Canada Pharma and Innovative Medicines Canada (IMC) board chair, relates the answer back to four key pillars:

Challenge the status quo: Organizations need to set clear goals to achieve the change they seek. At Roche, we have strong ambitions to achieve diversity in leadership that mirrors our workforce by 2030, and build a diverse and deep talent pipeline. Currently more than half of Roche Canada’s managers are women. Still, we have a lot of work to do and having clear goals articulates the organization’s commitment to change.
Support: The right systems have to be in place to enable women to work and care for their families, and not forget about themselves. Encouraging parental leave, facilitating childcare support, offering women’s health benefits, and creating flexible working environments are all examples of how the unique needs of women are being considered across life stages.
Men championing women: Men must be part of the dialogue and part of the solution; as change will only be possible with everyone’s support. Evidence shows that when men are deliberately engaged in gender inclusion programs, 96% of organizations see progress (compared to only 30% of organizations where men are not engaged).
Being your own champion: Women must actively seek opportunities for growth, advancement and leadership. Investing in oneself through continuous learning; building connections through networking; seeking feedback to improve — these are ways women can advocate for themselves and work towards greater career ambitions.

The pharmaceutical industry is leading the charge with strong gender representation in workplace leadership. As demonstrated in a 2024 member survey by IMC, women make up 52.7% of executive leadership teams and 54% of people leaders in the industry. This is great news, as better healthcare will happen when leadership reflects the population.

Brigitte shares that much has improved in the last 20 years, but we have to keep the momentum going. As told to the Globe and Mail in March 2024:

We’ve come a long way as an industry, and we should acknowledge that and learn from it. What did it take us to get here? What do we have to do to get to the next level? We have to continue to advocate and champion for better representation at all levels, especially in leadership.

Having more women in leadership positions in healthcare leads to positive benefits for patients and communities, and makes good business sense. We must continue to propel women forward to strengthen our country’s healthcare systems, bolster economic growth and viability, and improve health outcomes.

List of References

This website contains information on products which is targeted to a wide range of audiences and could contain product details or information otherwise not accessible or valid in your country. Please be aware that we do not take any responsibility for accessing such information which may not comply with any legal process, regulation, registration or usage in the country of your origin.

Contact

Worldwide

Fighting Against Forced Labour

You are now leaving the website of Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd. ("Roche Canada"). Links to all external sites are provided as a resource to our visitors. Roche Canada assumes no responsibility for the content of these sites. Roche Canada has no control over these sites and the opinions, claims or comments contained in these sites should not be attributed to Roche Canada, unless otherwise specified.