Fair Share: How Men and Women Can Create a More Equitable Workplace Together

How outdated work norms undermine careers, caregiving, and gender equity—and how leaders can fix the system.

The workplace is broken—and it's holding everyone back. Women still struggle to grow in their careers, while men who endeavor to do their part at home are often stigmatized. This disconnect means that even when men take part in flexible work arrangements or contribute to caregiving, women end up picking up the slack and missing out on professional opportunities.

If companies want to reach their full potential and achieve true fairness at work, the workplace must change—and it starts at the top. In Fair Share, gender-in-the-workplace experts W. Brad Johnson and David G. Smith offer a blueprint for how leaders can break down systemic barriers across the organization so that men can do more outside of paid work and women can take their rightful place in the ranks of corporate leadership. They suggest focusing on three key areas:

• Rethinking company culture and the structure of work
• Going all-in on caregiving options and employee benefits
• Making gender fairness routine through process and policies

Filled with examples and insights from both men and women, Fair Share offers a look at what companies can become when leaders finally break down the obstacles holding everyone back. By working together, men and women can create a better workplace, one where every individual can achieve what they want—both at work and at home.

W. Brad Johnson is professor emeritus of leadership, ethics, and law at the United States Naval Academy. A clinical psychologist and the author of fourteen books, he specializes in gender-fair workplaces, inclusive leadership, mentoring, and sponsorship.

David G. Smith is a professor and codirector of the Gender & Work Initiative at the Johns Hopkins Carey Business School. As a sociologist, he focuses his research on gender, work, and family issues, including allyship, inclusive leadership, mental load, and dual-career families.

Johnson and Smith are the cofounders of workplaceallies.com and coauthors of Good Guys: How Men Can Be Better Allies for Women in the Workplace and Athena Rising: How and Why Men Should Mentor Women.