As young women like Faith navigate their careers in Kenya, they encounter unspoken expectations to be likable and agreeable, leaving them feeling stifled and less represented in professional environments. This phenomenon, known as "likeability labour," presents significant barriers to career advancement for women, highlighting the need for systemic change within workplaces.
The Silent Struggle of Kenyan Women in the Workplace
The Silent Struggle of Kenyan Women in the Workplace
Kenyan women face societal pressures to conform to a culture of agreeability, hindering their professional growth and representation in leadership roles.
In Kenya's corporate landscape, the experience of women often mirrors that of Faith, a 24-year-old office worker who has found herself navigating the unspoken pressures of workplace dynamics. On a particular day during a meeting, she felt a proverbial tightening of the noose as a senior colleague presupposed her agreement with a notion she felt was impractical. With all eyes upon her, Faith succumbed to the invisible forces at play, opting to smile and remain silent instead of voicing her disagreement. “I felt an unspoken pressure to smile, to be agreeable, to not be disruptive,” she shared, revealing a common struggle faced by many women in Kenya and beyond.
Kenya, much like its counterparts Nigeria and India, faces a notable disparity in women's professional representation, particularly at senior decision-making levels. According to McKinsey's Women in the Workplace 2025 report, while women occupy 50% of entry-level roles in sectors such as healthcare and finance, this number drops dramatically to just 26% in senior positions. The term “the broken rung” encapsulates this upward mobility challenge women experience on their career paths, where initial entry does not translate to proportional advancement.
Experts have characterized Faith's struggle as "likeability labour,” related to the emotional labor women engage in to maintain amicable perceptions among colleagues, often at the expense of their agency. A recent UK-based study revealed that 56% of women feel pressured to be likable at work, a stark contrast to 36% of men. This disparity reveals how deeply ingrained societal expectations operate, compelling women to self-edit their speech and behavior.
The cultural implications of this phenomenon extend into women's daily experiences in the workplace. Dr. Gladys Nyachieo, a sociologist in Kenya, remarked on the inherent socialization that encourages women to assume caretaking roles—a factor resonant across cultures. Known in Kiswahili as 'office mathe,' or the 'office mother,' women find themselves undertaking additional, unpaid tasks for team cohesion, reinforcing traditional gender roles.
To mitigate the challenges posed by these dynamics, Dr. Nyachieo advocates for systemic reforms including flexible work arrangements and supportive mentorships for emerging female professionals. She emphasizes the importance of self-advocacy, as she mentors women like Faith, who is learning to navigate her own career without conforming to overwhelming pressures to please.
The dialogues surrounding likeability labour illuminate significant barriers for women in professional settings globally. It underscores the need for ongoing advocacy for gender-inclusive policies, elevating the conversation around women's rights and representation in the workplace. As Faith embarks on her journey towards career growth, awareness of these challenges might pave the way for a future where women can express their opinions freely, confident that their worth is not tied to their likability.
