Can reciprocal mentoring as a progressive tool contribute to creating shared understanding of women’s career equality challenges?

This qualitative case study sought to explore if the experience of participating in a reciprocal mentoring programme between mixed gender pairs could influence shared understanding of women’s career equality challenges within the case study organisation. Findings indicate that the reciprocal nature of the dialogue led to new understanding which includes themes that challenge some long held organisational assumptions. There are six main themes: a shift mentoring from perpetuative to progressive; women’s congruence in the workplace; agentic leadership bias; organisational readiness for equality; and flexibility stigma and diversity as a business issue, not just a Human Resources issue.