From the Publisher
This book shows how we can move beyond the dated narrative that portrays women as victims and men as ‘shining knights’. Joy’s wonderful, warm and engaging book helped me to realize that men and women can’t make interventions about inequality until we have had a conversation about the real barriers to gender parity. She equips us with a practical framework for meaningful action, enabling more of the difficult conversations that ultimately allow the best people to advance by merit, regardless of gender.
James Clarry, Chief Operating Officer, Coutts and the Wealth Businesses of the NatWest Group
Far too often, the finger of blame is pointed at women. We’re told we’re not ambitious enough; we’re not confident enough; we’re too emotional; we lack leadership skills. Here, at last, is a book that aims to change the narrative and fix the system. Every boss should have a copy.
Kate Bassett, Financial Times
Joy clearly articulates the benefits of diversity and the systemic reasons it has proven elusive, but this book’s power lies in its tangible and practical solutions. Having removed the excuse of ignorance, Don’t Fix Women leaves you with only two choices: to knowingly be part of the problem or part of the solution.
Nathan Coe, CEO, Auto Trader Group Plc
Advancing gender equality is not about fixing women, it’s about fixing some of the structural, cultural and societal expectations that exist today. Don’t Fix Women'shows you how this can be achieved in a powerful and practical way.
Drew Gibson, Head of Inclusion, Belonging & Wellbeing, Santander
Our workplaces are guilty of creating and reinforcing gender inequality, structurally and culturally. Don’t Fix Women is a practical and useful book with solutions on how to fix the problem; how to build inclusive leadership; how to transform workplace attitudes and values and how to address the obstacles that women face at work. Read this and be the change that’s needed.
Professor Helen Pankhurst CBE
Joy is inspirational in her practical approach to creating a better, more gender balanced workplace. I have a twin sister and through my close relationship with her, have seen how she has not had the opportunities I have had, despite working in the same sector. While there are various initiatives focused on Boards and emerging talent, we should consider how much have we progressed over the past 20 years? Joy’s book really challenges us to ask questions of our businesses and provides tools to equip us, and our colleagues, to be changemakers and to #breakthebias. A must-read, particularly for those in senior leadership.
Calum Brewster, CEO, Brown Shipley
Companies with strong gender diversity at all levels perform better. Don’t Fix Women is mandatory reading for all leaders, helping them to understand the obstacles that women face within their businesses, drive forward conversations and implement solutions that improve women’s representation within the workplace.
Fiona Dawson CBE, Chair of the UK Women’s Business Council
An empowering route map for addressing gender equality in the boardroom. Advancing diversity and inclusion is an essential part of business and this book shows leaders how to create workplaces where women can flourish. A highly recommended action plan for all CEOs and those involved in progressing the gender agenda.
Fiona Hathorn, CEO, Women on Boards UK
My experience of working with an all-female team helped me to see the world through a different lens; it taught me so much and enriched me as a person. Joy’s book resonates with me and gives men a great understanding of how best to support and develop women in the workplace. It is compulsory reading for all men who want to be the best allies they can be to women.
Mark Robinson OBE, Former Head Coach of England Women’s Cricket
Don’t Fix Women is an essential resource for business leaders and people managers looking to understand the gender equality landscape. It provides a framework for cultural change and practical actions for long overdue systemic changes to create a level playing field for ambitious women to thrive. If I was going to write a book, this is the book I would have written!
Denise Wilson OBE, Chief Executive, FTSE Women Leaders Review
Marking a much-needed end to the era of ‘lean in’ thinking, this book recognizes that women are not held back because of a lack of talent, dedication or drive, but because there are clear, structural barriers to progression in the workplace. Now is the time for all genders to read this excellent piece of work, and make their commitment to a more inclusive workplace.
Simon Gallow, Advocate and HeForShe Lead, UN Women UK
A refreshing and inspiring approach to accelerating gender equality in the workplace, Don’t Fix Women is packed full of practical ideas and ways to move things forward. The section on menopause covers a wealth of compelling new material that I’d not thought about or read about before. A must-read for all leaders and managers.
Phil Burgess, Chief People Officer, C Space
Until now efforts to achieve gender parity have been focused on ‘fixing the women’, even though women aren’t broken (and never have been). Now a wealth of statistical data and personal experiences have revealed the real problem, a broken system that operates on the principle that male traits and behaviours are superior to those of females. (Spoiler alert: they’re not!) In this book, Joy Burnford gives practical guidance on how to remove the blinkers of the past and recognize actual talent and leadership for the future.
Tamara Box, Managing Partner EME, Reed Smith LLP
This book provides a comprehensive route map for organizations that want to create more equal and balanced workplaces for all. Women'still face too many obstacles on their career journey – flexibility, caring responsibilities and menopause to name a few – and this book shines a light on what can be done to remove them. A must-read for HR professionals.
Victoria Winkler, Director of Professional Development, CIPD
This accessible book offers some great ideas for achieving effective progress in creating better gender balance at work and allows the reader to assess their own strengths and weaknesses as a gender diversity champion.
Frank Moxon, Senior Independent Director, Jersey Oil & Gas Plc and Past Master, Worshipful Company of International Bankers
Don’t Fix Women will help leaders to change systems and cultures to level the playing field for everyone to thrive in workplaces of today. It is packed full of analysis, insights and actions and is a highly compelling and relevant read for anyone involved in addressing the challenge of gender equality at work.
Emma Rose, Chief Human Resources Officer, Travis Perkins Plc
This book won’t disappoint. It is a clear and engaging read and tackles tricky subjects such as menopause, caring and monthlies in a way that will make business leaders think differently about gender equality in the future.
Vanessa Vallely OBE, Founder and CEO, WeAreTheCity and WeAreTechWomen
Listen up, CEOs! The answers are all here for gender equality in your workplace. Send every senior leader a copy with an invitation to join you at a summit to plan how you’ll enact it.
Jessica Chivers, CEO, The Talent Keeper Specialists and Author of Mothers Work!
A practical how-to guide on how to build equal and inclusive workplaces. Joy brings essential insights, strategies and actionable advice on what we can all do to support women to thrive at work. This is an important book and compulsory reading for those who want to lead the way in accelerating gender equality.
Antony Cook, Partner, PwC
As a long-standing client of Joy’s, Wickes has experienced first-hand how the tools and frameworks in this book can be put into action with meaningful results. This book will help move thinking on and transform attitudes to gender equality.
Sonia Astill, Chief People Officer, Wickes Group Plc
Extensively researched and informative, Don’t Fix Women is a highly refreshing and valuable read. It is full of useful initiatives and ideas, large and small, to move forward and create the pathways to gender equality in the workplace. An essential resource for any HR professional professional and those who want to make a difference.
Caroline Bowes, Director, Human Resources EMEA, Dechert LLP
A brilliant, helpful guide for organizations which outlines the obstacles that women still face in the workplace, including the menopause. We are calling on all employers to sign the Menopause Workplace Pledge and this book demonstrates how to take positive action at work to make sure everyone going through the menopause is supported. Read this book to help make a change in your workplace.
Janet Lindsay, Chief Executive, Wellbeing of Women
As a gender equality partner, OVF is working with Joy and her team on the models and frameworks outlined in this book to progress its gender equality targets across the business and drive forward strategies to attract and retain women who want to progress into senior positions. A timely and insightful book, Don’t Fix Women guides employers on how to adapt the culture of their organizations and reap the benefits of a more diverse and inclusive workforce. We have seen how this not only benefits the women, but it helps the men too.
Sian Prigg, Senior Learning and Talent Manager, Opel Vauxhall Finance
