When Your Career Is Suddenly on Hold

The coronavirus crisis immediately disrupted day-to-day work. And it’s increasingly disrupting women’s careers, with layoffs, hiring freezes, and promotions on hold, as well as entrepreneurial endeavors possibly lost forever. These setbacks raise a lot of questions: Why was I in the first round of layoffs? How realistic are my aspirations now? What conversations should I be having to help myself recover and set myself up for the future? 

We hear from two women whose professional advancement has been interrupted by the crisis. Then sociologist Alexandra Kalev explains why organizations tend to lay off more women than men and what managers can do to avoid disproportionately damaging women’s careers. Finally, Daisy Auger-Domínguez, an HR executive and expert on inclusive leadership, gives advice on confronting and recovering from a setback.

Our HBR reading list:

• “Research: U.S. Unemployment Rising Faster for Women and People of Color,” by Alexandra Kalev
• “Why the Crisis Is Putting Companies at Risk of Losing Female Talent,” by Colleen Ammerman and Boris Groysberg
• “When Losing Your Job Feels Like Losing Your Self,” by Aliya Hamid Rao

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Our theme music is Matt Hill’s “City In Motion,” provided by Audio Network.