Author Identifier (ORCID)
Andrei Lux: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3454-946X
Abstract
Purpose – Women’s career progression in healthcare continues to lag men’s, particularly at senior leadership levels, limiting organizational performance and weakening leadership pipelines. This study applies Conservation of Resources (COR) theory’s positive gains cycle to examine how supportive organizational environments and human resource management practices can accelerate women’s advancement from early career stages to senior leadership. Design/methodology/approach – Using a social constructivist approach, we conducted 30 in-depth interviews with Australian healthcare leaders (20 female and 10 male) across multiple organizational levels. Thematic analysis identified the resources and interactions that enable sustained leadership progression for women. Findings – Four interconnected resources, including supportive work environments, supportive communities, a resolute mindset and dynamic authenticity, were identified as drivers of career progression. External support, including flexible policies, inclusive promotion systems, mentorship and leadership visibility, fosters internal strengths such as resilience, self-efficacy and adaptive leadership capacity. These resources interact to create reinforcing gain spirals, enabling women to navigate challenges and sustain advancement through strategic reinvestment. Practical implications – The “Success is Contagious” framework provides HRM strategies for strengthening leadership pipelines, such as building robust support systems, fostering professional networks and designing development pathways that encourage authentic leadership. Originality/value – This study extends COR theory by showing how organizational resources can initiate and sustain positive resource spirals in women’s leadership progression. It offers evidence-based strategies for human resources and senior leaders to design systems that align organizational context with individual agency, ensuring long-term leadership capacity in healthcare.
Keywords
Women leadership, career progression, conservation of resources, healthcare, positive gain spirals, career mobility
Document Type
Journal Article
Date of Publication
2026
Publication Title
Personnel Review
Publisher
Emerald
School
School of Business and Law
RAS ID
94366
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Comments
Farivar, F., Lux, A. A., & Salehi, N. (2026). Strategizing success: Advancing women's leadership and careers in healthcare through a positive gain spiral. Personnel Review. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1108/PR-08-2025-0885