The challenge of hiring and retaining women: an interview with the head of HR at eBay

Article Type: Abstracts From: Human Resource Management International Digest, Volume 17, Issue 2

McPherson J.R., , Mendonca L.T. and , Axelrod B. The McKinsey Quarterly (USA), 2008, No. 4, Start page: 59, No. of pages: 7

Purpose – reports an interview with Beth Axelrod, senior vice president of human resources (HR) at eBay, on how companies can improve their approaches to hiring, retaining and promoting women. Design/methodology/approach –Axelrod traces her unusual career change, from consulting to HR, to trace the large amount still to be achieved if HR is to become a full strategic partner with businesses. Findings – the questions involved in the interview covered: the importance of women in the overall struggle for talent; the prerequisites for success when initiating specific programmes for the hiring and retention of women and how common themes emerge across companies; the fact that some HR issues remain the same today as in 1989; what foundational processes or systems companies must put in place to hire and retain women; what informal steps can help companies motivate and develop female leaders; the lack of helpfulness in approaching the topic of hiring and retaining women from the viewpoint of gender differences; and the importance for people to be free to talk about and act on gender-related issues. Originality/value – draws on Axelrod’s extensive experience as leader of McKinsey & Company’s War for Talent project, which quantified the challenges facing leading US companies in finding talented executives. Includes the article in a special issue of The McKinsey Quarterly devoted partly to the theme of “Women and leadership” .ISSN: 0047-5394 Reference: 37AZ937

Keywords: Recruitment, Women workers, Sex discrimination,Promotion, Human resource management, Organizations