Women’s History Month 2024: Why Imposter Syndrome?
This year’s International Women’s Day theme is ‘Inspire Inclusion’. Performative alliteration aside, here at Women in CX, we want to start a far bigger conversation about what it really takes for women to feel and be included.
In the workplace, women often experience higher levels of imposter syndrome than men. It's important to understand that this phenomenon isn’t “all in our heads”.
Imposter syndrome is a by-product of systemic issues such as workplace bias and the ‘othering’ of women. This year’s International Women’s Day campaign aims not only to provide practical strategies for personal empowerment but also to shed light on the structural factors contributing to imposter syndrome.
As part of our campaign, throughout March (Women’s History Month), we’ll be creating content and hosting a range of events to address imposter syndrome head-on. We’ll work on challenging the status quo that perpetuates these feelings of inadequacy, fuelling our mission to create an environment where women feel confident to show up as their full, authentic selves.
We Need More Female CX Leaders
We already know that customer experience is a particularly challenging field of business. Getting buy-in and proving the value of the work are well-known obstacles to any CX professional. Therefore, it’s not surprising that the landscape becomes even more complex for female practitioners.
The shortage of women in leadership roles within CX exacerbates the challenges faced by female professionals. The leadership landscape in CX remains predominantly male-dominated. According to the Office of National Statistics, whilst women represent 70% of the workforce in Customer Experience, a recent study by the CXPA in partnership with the University of Carolina, revealed only 30% of CX professionals in management are female.
The underrepresentation of women in decision-making positions not only limits diverse perspectives but also perpetuates a cycle where aspiring female leaders lack visible role models and mentors. Many of our community members have decided to leave their roles and go freelance as the corporate world continues to grapple with systemic barriers that hinder the advancement and recognition of women.
For example, our 2023 members’ survey highlighted the number one issue for women in the industry is getting stakeholder buy-in for CX initiatives, and 57% of respondents said they have experienced bias in the workplace due to their gender. Additionally, 35% reported bias due to their age, and 15% due to their ethnicity. Other factors contributing to workplace bias included weight and mental health issues.
These findings underscore the importance of addressing systemic inequalities and fostering inclusivity within the CX industry. From glass ceilings to implicit biases, women often encounter obstacles that limit their ability to realise their potential within traditional organisational structures fully.
Why Imposter Syndrome?
When you look for resources on imposter syndrome, many of them focus on ‘overcoming’ it. We believe this focus is wrong. Imposter syndrome is not something women just have to ‘get over’. It’s a real, serious issue that prevents us from reaching our full potential. Trivialising imposter syndrome as something that can be overcome through working on yourself (cue advice on sheer self-belief) undermines its complexity and the challenges it poses.
“We believe the stark underrepresentation of women in leadership roles exacerbates the challenges within the CX industry.”
A recent study of 4,000 adults revealed that 72% of women have experienced imposter syndrome in the workplace, compared to 63% of men. However, Women in CX’s 2023 survey revealed that 84% of the respondents surveyed have experienced imposter syndrome. We believe the stark underrepresentation of women in leadership roles exacerbates the challenges within the CX industry and that it's vital we address these systemic barriers. We work towards meaningful change in the industry by spotlighting the issue, amplifying women's voices, and demonstrating a steadfast commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion.
The Broken Rung
According to a report by LeanIn.Org and McKinsey & Company, women represent 47% of the general workforce, but only 40% ascend to entry-level management. Why is this?
You might have heard of the term ‘broken rung’ – it refers to the idea that women are not promoted to their first management position at the same rate as men, resulting in a ‘broken rung’ on the ladder to senior leadership.
As stated in the report, “the ‘broken rung’ is the greatest obstacle women face on the path to senior leadership”. The report reveals that women of colour are particularly affected. In fact, the numbers are pointing in the wrong direction: “[In 2023], 73 women of colour were promoted to manager for every 100 men, down from 82 women of colour last year.” For context, the number of women being promoted for every 100th man is 87 overall.
Well, in customer experience, the rung is even more broken.
While women represent 70% of the workforce in customer experience, we now know that only 30% of CX professionals in management are female, and just over one in ten make it to senior leadership.
The Gender Pay Gap
Forbes reported that in 2022, women earned an average of 17% less than men, translating to every dollar earned by men equating to just 82 cents for women. Even when comparing individuals with the same job titles, seniority levels, and working hours, there remains an 11% gender pay gap in terms of take-home pay.
This disparity isn't just an economic issue but demonstrates the systemic undervaluation of women's contributions. In our industry, we often see women expected to contribute their expertise for free or for ‘exposure.’
Why Customer Experience Needs Women in CX
It's commonly believed that the customer experience industry is dominated by women. While this is true at the front line, with nearly three-quarters of the workforce identifying as female, it's not the case where it matters most. Women are significantly underrepresented in positions of power and in technological roles that impact product, service, and experience design. This lack of diversity is negatively affecting the experiences of both customers and employees.
“Women are significantly underrepresented in positions of power.”
We all have a role to play in addressing this imbalance. However, to do so, we must raise awareness of the problem, educate those who don't yet acknowledge its existence, and inspire those who have the power to effect change to join the movement.
What is Women in CX?
Three years ago, Women in CX was founded on International Women’s Day. Since then, it has grown to include over 40,000 members, sponsors, and supporters worldwide.
Our goals:
To promote diversity, equity and inclusion within the CX and tech industries
To lead the way by example in challenging intersectional inequalities
To create opportunities for women’s networking, learning, mentorship and support
To amplify the voices of women
To unleash the power of women to lead the movement for human-centred business
Where It All Began…
Women in CX came to be during the pandemic lockdowns of 2020 as a platform for ‘real-talk’ conversations between women in customer experience about the issues they face both professionally and personally. Then, on International Women’s Day 2021, we launched the Women in CX online membership community, which sought to bring together women from diverse backgrounds to connect with and support one another.
Since then, a much wider community has flourished on social media with offline events and conferences led by members held in locations like London, Barcelona, Dubai, Dublin, Toronto, New York, San Francisco, Amsterdam, and the Caribbean. This overwhelming response and a clear demand for such events helped us identify a market need for something more organised to enable women from across the world to connect.
By harnessing the power of female collaboration, sharing our challenges and experiences, and learning from one another, our global community and its members are achieving so much more than we ever could alone. This International Women’s Day is no different, with in-person and online networking events happening across the globe.
What We’re Trying to Change
Imposter syndrome is a widespread issue that affects both the CX and tech sectors. We want everyone to know this isn’t something women have to ‘get over’ but rather a systemic issue we all have a responsibility to solve. It's important to prioritise diversity and equal representation to create inclusive environments that cater to the needs of customers and employees.
As we need to see more female representation in leadership, it's crucial to take comprehensive action and bring about systemic change towards greater inclusivity and gender equality.
