Advancing Women in HR Leadership: A QualitativeExploration of Promoting and Inhibiting Factors

The human resources management profession in its current form began to take shape in the 1990s in Israel. (Bar Haim, 2007) Academic women began to integrate into human resources roles in business organizations (Meshulam and Harpaz, 2015). In the past, those who headed departments dealing with human resources were men, and they were part of senior management. After the human resources profession became predominantly female, a decline in salaries and management levels began (Sagi Weisberg, 2001). The research question was: What are the external and internal factors that hinder or promote the career development of female human resources managers in business organizations in Israel? The goal was to reach an understanding of the relevant aspects for promoting female human resources managers to senior positions in business organizations in Israel. The qualitative research was conducted using a model of personal interviews conducted with 12 female human resources managers at various management levels. The study resulted in a conceptual model that lists the relevant elements for promoting women to senior positions, classifying them into areas: professional and personal abilities and skills, leadership abilities, organizational culture, and work-life balance. The interviews concluded that for promotion, several conditions must exist: self-esteem and recognition of their abilities, mental toughness, emotional intelligence, a desire to instill personal and professional moral values in the organization, determination and perseverance, interpersonal communication skills, proactivity, project initiation, self-representation and marketing, a feminine management style, and the ability to balance work and home.