How to Cultivate, Support, and Grow Female Leaders as a Small Business

In today’s rapidly changing business landscape, cultivating and supporting women and historically underrepresented genders in leadership has become more crucial than ever. As a small business owner or manager, you’re in a unique position to make a real difference by empowering women to step into leadership roles. 

But how do you do that? It’s not about just offering a seat at the table—it’s about creating an environment where women can thrive, lead, and succeed. In this post, we’ll break down actionable steps small businesses can take to grow and support leaders within their teams.

Create a Culture of Inclusivity 

A truly inclusive workplace culture is the foundation for developing leaders from underrepresented genders. It's not just about hiring women—it's about ensuring they have the support and resources to thrive.

• Promote Equal Access to Resources: Make sure that leadership development programs, mentorship opportunities, and skill-building workshops are available to everyone in the organization, regardless of gender. This will ensure that employees who are women have equal access to the resources necessary for advancing in their careers. All genders should also be given equal access to resources, however, like paternity leave. When parental leave is utilized by employees of all genders, it challenges traditional gender norms, roles and reduces biases. Studies have shown that extending parental leave can decrease sexist attitudes by disrupting conventional gender roles.

• Inclusive Leadership: Encourage senior leadership to adopt inclusive practices by actively promoting diversity in decision-making and fostering an environment where everyone feels valued. This can involve simple actions like considering diverse perspectives in team meetings and ensuring all voices from all backgrounds are actually heard and acknowledged. When women feel that their opinions and contributions are genuinely valued, they’re more likely to step into leadership roles.

• Address Implicit Biases & Intersectionality: Providing training for men to recognize and address their implicit biases fosters a more supportive environment for female colleagues. Moreover, companies that embrace intersectionality are better equipped to support all employees, leading to improved job satisfaction and retention. Intersectionality is a framework that examines how various aspects of a person's identity—such as race, gender, sexuality, religion and physical ability,  to name a few—intersect to create unique experiences of belonging, discrimination or privilege. Recognizing intersectionality in diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives ensures that policies and practices address the multifaceted nature of employee identities. Such initiatives not only promote equality but also enhance workplace dynamics and productivity.

Prioritize Mentorship and Sponsorship

Mentorship and sponsorship are critical for women aspiring to leadership positions. The difference? While mentorship provides advice, sponsorship actively advocates for your growth.

A well-organized mentorship program is one of the most effective ways to support women in their leadership journey. Pairing female employees with experienced mentors—regardless of gender—helps them gain insights, navigate challenges, and expand their professional networks. Mentors can offer guidance on everything from managing work-life balance to excelling in high-pressure situations. Having a trusted advisor can significantly boost an employee’s confidence as she/they take on new challenges within the company.

While mentorship is important, sponsorship is often what propels women into leadership roles. A sponsor is someone who actively promotes a person’s potential, advocates for their promotions, and pushes them into high-profile projects and roles. As a leader in your business, consider advocating for high-potential female employees when opportunities arise, whether it’s recommending them for a key project, a senior position, or a high-visibility task that will help showcase their leadership abilities. Sponsorship is about amplifying their voice and making sure others in the organization recognize their value.

Offer Equal Opportunities for Leadership Roles

Offering women equitable  opportunities to rise through the ranks is crucial. If your business offers clear pathways to leadership, everyone—menwomen and nonbinary/trans alike—will know what they need to do to succeed.

• Transparent Promotion Processes: One of the biggest barriers to women in leadership is the lack of transparency in how promotions are made. Ensure that the criteria for advancement are clearly defined and communicated throughout your business. This can include setting specific performance metrics, leadership skills, or milestone achievements required for promotion. When women know exactly what is expected of them, they can actively work toward meeting those expectations, knowing that there’s an equitable opportunity for growth.

• Tailored Leadership Tracks: Not all employees follow the same career path, and that’s especially true for women and birthing parents, who might face unique challenges such as balancing family responsibilities or navigating industry biases. Offering leadership tracks that take these challenges into account can help women advance in ways that are meaningful and manageable.

• Offer Flexible Roles: Many individuals balance career ambitions with personal commitments such as caregiving or societal expectations related to gender roles. Offering leadership opportunities with flexible hours, remote work options, or adaptable job structures can make a significant difference. For example, if a leader needs to step back from a high-pressure full-time role to manage personal responsibilities, providing the option to transition into a part-time leadership position allows them to continue contributing meaningfully to the business while maintaining balance in their personal life.

• Invest in Training & Development: Offering opportunities to learn new skills and expand knowledge will set your employees up for success. Moreover, ask them for input on the kinds of training that would be most helpful. This feedback can help identify areas where there has historically been systematic barriers that have inhibited growth, whether it's negotiating higher salaries, managing larger teams, or developing their executive presence. Customizing training programs to meet specific needs ensures that the real challenges women face as they work to grow into leadership roles are properly addressed.

How Justworks Can Help

Many companies often tout diversity initiatives in ways that can feel performative, focusing on surface-level measures without addressing the deeper structural issues that hinder real inclusivity and belonging. For small businesses, this presents an opportunity to take a more authentic approach to the human experience at work and beyond.  

Justworks helps small businesses by managing HR functions like payroll, benefits, recruitment, and compliance, freeing up your time to focus on fostering leadership development within your team. By partnering with Justworks, you can ensure that your small business provides competitive benefits like healthcare, parental leave, and retirement options that support both male and female employees in their career growth. This external support can make it easier for you to create a culture that promotes gender equality, allowing you to focus on leadership development without worrying about administrative tasks. Get started with Justworks today!