In a meeting room in Nairobi, 24-year-old Faith, whose name has been changed to protect her identity, confronted the unspoken pressure many women face in professional settings in Kenya. Despite being one of the first women in her family to attend university, she felt compelled to agree with her colleagues rather than voice her disagreement. "I didn’t want to be seen as difficult or moody,” she shared, highlighting a significant hurdle known as the "broken rung," which represents the difficulties women experience on the corporate ladder between entry-level positions and management roles.
A report by McKinsey, which expanded its research on gender dynamics beyond North America, found that while women in Kenya occupy 50% of entry-level roles in sectors such as healthcare and finance, their presence diminishes to only 26% in senior positions. This pattern echoes in other developing economies like Nigeria and India, emphasizing a substantial gap in women's advancement in the corporate world.
Faith ultimately chose silence over conflict during the meeting, encapsulating the experience of "likeability labour"—a term coined to describe the effort women exert to maintain perceived likability at work. Sociologist Amy Kean's recent study revealed that 56% of women in the UK feel this pressure, compared to 36% of men. Self-editing language like "Does that make sense?" is often employed by women to avoid being labeled as abrasive, revealing the complex dynamics that inhibit authentic expression in a professional context.
Dr. Gladys Nyachieo from the Multimedia University of Kenya points out that cultural conditioning fosters these expectations. Women are socialized to prioritize others' needs, which often leads to disproportionate burdens in the workplace. The term "office mathe," or office mother, describes the added labor expected of women, such as preparing snacks or other support roles, which go unpaid.
Dr. Nyachieo is an advocate for mentorship, emphasizing the need for systemic change to confront these issues—such as flexible working opportunities and support from mentors who can champion women's concerns. Faith is one of her mentees, and she is learning to embrace her assertiveness in the workplace through this guidance. “I’m working on it,” she says, signifying a growing awareness of the importance of self-advocacy.
As discussions surrounding these issues continue, the journey toward fostering a more equitable workspace for women in Kenya is just beginning. The emphasis on overt self-advocacy versus passive compliance remains a critical conversation as more women like Faith seek to redefine their experiences in the corporate world, challenging the norms that confine them.
A report by McKinsey, which expanded its research on gender dynamics beyond North America, found that while women in Kenya occupy 50% of entry-level roles in sectors such as healthcare and finance, their presence diminishes to only 26% in senior positions. This pattern echoes in other developing economies like Nigeria and India, emphasizing a substantial gap in women's advancement in the corporate world.
Faith ultimately chose silence over conflict during the meeting, encapsulating the experience of "likeability labour"—a term coined to describe the effort women exert to maintain perceived likability at work. Sociologist Amy Kean's recent study revealed that 56% of women in the UK feel this pressure, compared to 36% of men. Self-editing language like "Does that make sense?" is often employed by women to avoid being labeled as abrasive, revealing the complex dynamics that inhibit authentic expression in a professional context.
Dr. Gladys Nyachieo from the Multimedia University of Kenya points out that cultural conditioning fosters these expectations. Women are socialized to prioritize others' needs, which often leads to disproportionate burdens in the workplace. The term "office mathe," or office mother, describes the added labor expected of women, such as preparing snacks or other support roles, which go unpaid.
Dr. Nyachieo is an advocate for mentorship, emphasizing the need for systemic change to confront these issues—such as flexible working opportunities and support from mentors who can champion women's concerns. Faith is one of her mentees, and she is learning to embrace her assertiveness in the workplace through this guidance. “I’m working on it,” she says, signifying a growing awareness of the importance of self-advocacy.
As discussions surrounding these issues continue, the journey toward fostering a more equitable workspace for women in Kenya is just beginning. The emphasis on overt self-advocacy versus passive compliance remains a critical conversation as more women like Faith seek to redefine their experiences in the corporate world, challenging the norms that confine them.
