Gendered Leadership in Videoconferencing at The Online Workplace

Abstract

In times increasingly defined by digital connectivity, videoconferencing has become a frequently used medium for workplace interaction - but the gendered dimension of this remained underexplored so far. This paper examines how gender dynamics shape leadership behavior and perceptions in online professional settings. Drawing on qualitative data from focus groups, recorded company-internal videoconferences, a q-methodological study, collected with two Southern-German companies from the tech sector, and a study using the story completion task method, discourses of gendered leadership were identified. The findings show constructions of women as neoliberal female leaders as solitary fighters, constructions of tensions with patriarchal norms, distrust in female leadership, concerns about appearance in online meetings, and constructions of stereotypes of women as care givers. These findings provide an innovative contribution to research on gender-related dynamics in online meetings.