Q&A – What’s Holding Women Back in Their CX Careers?

Ahead of International Women’s Day 2025, we put the spotlight on Clare Muscutt, CEO and Founder of Women in CX, for a Q&A on what’s really holding women back in their CX careers, and the proactive steps everyone can take to help change the situation for the better – particularly in the face of the recent DEI rollbacks.

Q. What Do You Believe Are the Most Significant Barriers Women Face in Leadership Today, and Why Do These Persist?

A. The biggest barriers women face in leadership today stem from structural inequality, cultural biases, and a lack of representation at the top.

Despite progress, women are still underrepresented in decision-making roles and often face unconscious bias, societal expectations on women’s domestic responsibilities, and the challenge of balancing personal and professional life.

Persistent stereotypes about the top leadership being “male” reinforce these barriers, and systemic inequalities – like pay gaps and limited access to mentorship – continue to hold women back.

What makes this particularly challenging is that many organizations still fail to acknowledge or address these issues fully. Changing the system requires deep cultural transformation and an unwavering commitment to equity and inclusion.

DEI programmes were designed to level the playing field for women and minorities, but with the current political pressure to dismantle them rising from the US, I am deeply concerned about what this will mean for the next generation.

Q. Are the Challenges Women Encounter in Achieving Leadership Roles Consistent Across the Globe, or Do They Vary Significantly by Country or Region?

A. While some barriers, like gender bias and underrepresentation, are universal, the extent and nature of these challenges vary significantly by country and region.

For example, in developed countries, women might face challenges like breaking the glass ceiling or addressing pay equity.

In contrast, in developing nations, the barriers often include limited access to education, deeply entrenched societal norms about gender roles, and fewer opportunities to enter the workforce in the first place.

However, one common thread globally is that women are often expected to work harder, prove themselves more consistently, and overcome biases just to reach the same starting line as their male counterparts.

Addressing these disparities requires both global collaboration and locally tailored solutions that recognize cultural differences.

Q. How Are You Actively Working to Create a Clearer, More Accessible Path for Women to Achieve Leadership Roles?

A. At Women in CX, our mission is to empower women in customer experience and technology by creating spaces where they can share, learn, and grow together.

Through our community platform, we provide access to mentorship, peer support, and professional development opportunities.

We’re also fostering dialogue to break down barriers and challenge traditional norms that hold women back. By sharing stories of resilience and success, we aim to inspire women and help them recognize their potential through our community, events and podcast.

Our goal is to remove the sense of isolation many women feel and provide practical resources that enable them to succeed, whether that’s overcoming imposter syndrome or navigating career progression in customer experience and technology, we’re here to champion them and amplify their voices.

Q. Why Do You Think Involving Men Is Essential to the Conversation About Gender Equality in Leadership, and How Can They Best Support This Cause?

A. Men play a critical role in the journey toward gender equality because they hold the majority of leadership roles and decision-making power in many organizations.

If men aren’t part of the conversation, we risk perpetuating the status quo. Their support is essential to dismantling systemic barriers, challenging biases, and driving change.

The best way men can support this cause is by being active allies – advocating for equity, sponsoring women for leadership opportunities, and calling out inequalities and bias when they see it.

It’s also about listening and understanding women’s experiences without defensiveness. True partnership and collaboration between genders are what will create lasting change.

Q. What’s Next for Women in CX As You Look to the Future?

A. We’re focused on scaling the Women in CX to reach and support more women globally. One of our key goals is to create even more opportunities for personal and professional growth, including expanding our mentorship programmes, offering new learning resources, and hosting more events – both virtually and in person.

A key part of this has been launching our Media Services business and working with big sponsors like Kantar, CallMiner, Foundever and Zendesk.

Our clients have become critical partners in enabling us to continue the work we do, including hosting events in locations like Lisbon, Stockholm, Amsterdam, Dubai and Saudi Arabia whilst also delivering best-in-class content, brand awareness, lead and demand generation for them.

We’re committed to amplifying the voices of women in customer experience and advocating for equity at the industry level.

In the long term, we aim to become the go-to global community for women in CX and technology, creating a ripple effect of empowerment that helps women everywhere achieve their full potential.

Author: Women in CX
Reviewed by: Megan Jones