Leadership unleashed: Fuelling or failing at retaining women in higher education

Orientation: Higher education institutions face significant challenges in retaining women’s services as they navigate the challenges of a career. One of the factors critical in retaining the services concerns leadership behaviour displayed by managers. Research purpose: The aim of the study was to explore the relationship between leadership behaviour, and the retention of women in the higher education sector. Motivation for the study: To determine how leadership behaviour impacts the retention of women. Research approach/design and method: A quantitative research approach was employed with descriptive, correlation and multiple regression analysis. The population consisted of 2732 females. A sample of 311 females from different ages, races, marital statuses, staff categories and educational levels across a higher education institution in South Africa was drawn. Main findings: The results indicated that leadership factors such as relationship orientation, integrity, involvement and task orientation are significantly related to women’s retention in terms of unique needs, growth, recognition, work conditions, work relationships and support. The most significant retention factor is leaders’ work relationship with female employees. Practical/managerial implications: Exploring the role of leadership in enhancing women’s retention is noteworthy for the higher education sector. The high drop-out rate by women from academic careers and gender inequity necessitate a review of factors such as leadership behaviour to prevent women in academia from abandoning their careers. Contribution/value-add: This study outlined leadership behaviour critical to the retention of women.