On this page you'll find a selection of resources and articles about women in work and workplace (in)equality. 

The articles posted here are intended to stimulate thought and discussion, and do not necessarily represent the views of Cultivate,


​The Confidence Gap
The Atlantic

Journalists Katty Kay and Claire Shipman explore the role of confidence in work place success. They posture that there is a particular crisis for women—a vast confidence gap that separates the sexes.

"We began to talk with other highly successful women, hoping to find instructive examples of raw, flourishing female confidence. But the more closely we looked, the more we instead found evidence of its shortage."


​10 things we need to do to close the wage gap
Huffington Post

Written from a US perspective but still a damn fine list of the multitude of things that need to change to achieve work equality. Access to childcare is just one:

"In today’s economy, when having both parents in the workforce is an economic necessity for many families, we need affordable, high-quality childcare more than ever... It’s time we stop treating childcare as a side issue, or as a women’s issue, and treat it like the national economic priority that it is for all of us."


​Lean In Together
Sheryl Sandberg

The supporting movement #LeanInTogether is less well known than Sandberg's book Lean In but it's equally important. #LeanInTogether encourages men to take action to support equality at work, and offers practical tips.

"Stereotypes are enormously self-reinforcing. Men are expected to be assertive, confident, and opinionated, so we welcome their leadership. In contrast, women are expected to be kind, nurturing, and compassionate, so when they lead, they are going against our expectations and often face pushback. This dynamic disadvantages women at work."


When talking about bias backfires
The New York Times

Sheryl Sandberg and Adam Grant collaborated on a series about women at work for The New York Times. In this piece they explore how simply calling-out bias in fact makes bias worse unless managers are actively encouraged to change the norm.

​"Our culture’s strong gender stereotypes extend beyond image to performance, leading us to believe that men are more competent than women. Managers — both male and female — continue to favor men over equally qualified women in hiring, compensation, performance evaluation and promotion decisions."


​Even women think men are more creative
Harvard Business Review

New research shows that both men and women associate creativity with stereotypically “masculine” traits—independence, daring—more than with “feminine” traits, such as cooperativeness and sensitivity.

"We also found that the bosses of 134 executives rated women as significantly less creative in their thinking than men. That has repercussions: In another study we did, male managers who were rated as more creative than female managers were perceived as more deserving of rewards."


Why women still can't have it all
The Atlantic

Former Director of Policy Planning for the US State Department (and the first woman in the job) Anne-Marie Slaughter acknowledges that having a high-powered career and a happy family is the preserve of the privileged. Here she sets out her manifesto for change that will empower all women.

"You should be able to have a family if you want one—however and whenever your life circumstances allow—and still have the career you desire. If more women could strike this balance, more women would reach leadership positions."