Flexible working could help more women lead family businesses

Flexible working could help more women entrepreneurs become leaders of family firms by making it easier to balance work and family life, new research suggests.

Digital workplace tools may allow women to take a greater role in strategic decision-making and other leadership duties while maintaining family responsibilities. the report found.

They could also challenge the assumption that effective leaders must always be physically present at work.

Co-author Professor Kirk Chang said: “Technology such as Microsoft Teams and cloud-based collaboration platforms can create new opportunities for talented women to demonstrate leadership. But lasting change depends on family businesses judging leaders by their performance rather than their physical presence.”

Researchers from the University of East London say tools such as Microsoft Teams, Zoom, Google Workspace and cloud-based business systems can shift the focus from office attendance to measurable performance.

Cloud-based systems are online services that give employees remote access to documents, software and business information.

Family businesses are often considered family-friendly employers, but women can still face barriers to senior positions.

Leadership in these companies often passes between generations through informal family decisions rather than formal recruitment.

Traditional expectations around gender roles can make it harder for women with caring responsibilities to be seen as potential successors, particularly when being visible in the workplace is treated as a sign of commitment.

The researchers say digital workplace technology could make women’s contributions more visible while helping them manage work and family responsibilities.

Their proposed framework sets out four ways digital working could support women’s progression: building confidence, creating opportunities to take part in strategic decisions, increasing business knowledge and changing perceptions of who is ready to lead.

The authors stress that technology alone will not remove the barriers women face in reaching leadership roles. Family businesses must also develop cultures that value results over physical presence and actively support women pursuing senior positions.

Dr Ozlem Ozdemir, from the Royal Docks School of Business and Law, said: “Family businesses are built around close relationships, but that does not automatically make them easier places for women to become leaders. It can be tougher for women family members to be seen as ambitious professionals.

“Digital workplace tools can help shift the focus from who is seen most often in the office to who is making the strongest contribution.”

The paper draws its conclusions from existing research and proposes a framework showing how digital workplace innovation may improve work-life balance and support more women to become future leaders in family businesses.