Gendered experiences of leading and managing through COVID-19: patriarchy and precarity

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to highlight key issues for women managers, leaders and precarious academic women during COVID-19 in organisations and in academy.Design/methodology/approachThis paper shares the authors’ personal experiences during COVID-19 in the UK as a woman Professor and Director of a Business School and a woman Research Associate and link these with existing scholarship to reflect on areas for continued research and action.FindingsThis paper underlines how COVID-19 destabilises the progress made towards gender equality.Practical implicationsThis paper outlines future avenues for research and practice as a result of experiences of COVID-19.Originality/valueThis paper looks at the gendered implications of COVID-19 for women across organisational hierarchies and highlights commonalities in their experiences and devastating effects of the pandemic