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How outdated work norms undermine careers, caregiving, and gender equity—and how leaders can fix the system.
The workplace is broken—and it's holding everyone back. Women still struggle to grow in their careers, while men who endeavor to do their part at home are often stigmatized. This disconnect means that even when men take part in flexible work arrangements or contribute to caregiving, women end up picking up the slack and missing out on professional opportunities.
If companies want to reach their full potential and achieve true fairness at work, the workplace must change—and it starts at the top. In Fair Share, gender-in-the-workplace experts W. Brad Johnson and David G. Smith offer a blueprint for how leaders can break down systemic barriers across the organization so that men can do more outside of paid work and women can take their rightful place in the ranks of corporate leadership. They suggest focusing on three key areas:
- Rethinking company culture and the structure of work
- Going all-in on caregiving options and employee benefits
- Making gender fairness routine through process and policies
Filled with examples and insights from both men and women, Fair Share offers a look at what companies can become when leaders finally break down the obstacles holding everyone back. By working together, men and women can create a better workplace, one where every individual can achieve what they want—both at work and at home.
Advance Praise for Fair Share:
"A wonderfully hands-on guide to creating a gender-fair and care-friendly workplace—perfect for anyone in the C-suite who wants to create an environment that works for the twenty-first-century talent pool." — Anne-Marie Slaughter, CEO, New America; author, Unfinished Business
"A practical and inspiring guide for leaders who want workplaces where everyone can thrive. Johnson and Smith blend research, real-world examples, and actionable tools that any executive can put to work immediately." — Peter Fasolo, former Chief Human Resources Officer, Johnson & Johnson; Director, Human Resources Policy Institute, Boston University Questrom School of Business
"Johnson and Smith cut through decades of stalled progress to show us what genuine structural change looks like. This book is essential reading for any leader ready to build a workplace where both careers and families can flourish." — Jason Resendez, President and CEO, National Alliance for Caregiving
"Gender inequality at work is not a women's problem but an organizational one rooted in outdated assumptions about work and caregiving. By engaging men as full partners in this effort, Johnson and Smith show how organizations can create more equitable—and more sustainable—outcomes for everyone." — Robin J. Ely, Diane Doerge Wilson Professor of Business Administration Emerita, Harvard Business School
"This is the book leaders need right now. Johnson and Smith offer a clear, courageous road map for redesigning work so both women and men can thrive." — Susan MacKenty Brady, coauthor, All the Difference and Arrive and Thrive; CEO, Simmons University Institute for Inclusive Leadership
"Fair Share is the blueprint for building a future where caregiving and leadership go hand in hand. Johnson and Smith show that when responsibility is shared at home, opportunity expands at work." — Shelley Zalis, founder and CEO, The Female Quotient
"Redesigning work for gender fairness is a leadership imperative that unlocks opportunity, shared caregiving, and sustainable performance for everyone. Fair Share belongs on every executive's desk." — Michael C. Bush, CEO, Great Place to Work
W. Brad Johnson is professor emeritus of leadership, ethics, and law at the United States Naval Academy. A clinical psychologist and the author of fourteen books, he specializes in gender-fair workplaces, inclusive leadership, mentoring, and sponsorship.
David G. Smith is a professor and codirector of the Gender & Work Initiative at the Johns Hopkins Carey Business School. As a sociologist, he focuses his research on gender, work, and family issues, including allyship, inclusive leadership, mental load, and dual-career families.
Johnson and Smith are the cofounders of workplaceallies.com and coauthors of Good Guys: How Men Can Be Better Allies for Women in the Workplace and Athena Rising: How and Why Men Should Mentor Women.