Understanding Supports and Barriers in Women's Careers: A Literature Review

Background: The persistent issue of gender discrimination in the workplace is a significant concern. Women continue to face many barriers and support systems are crucial for women's professional development. Therefore, knowing about supports and barreiras more broadly can positively impact women. Objective: The objective of this article was to identify the barriers and supports that impact the professional development of women. Method: An integrative review of the literature was used with searches in two databases, Web of Science and Scopus, considering the period from 2013 to 2022 and selected 34 studies. Results: The results indicate that the studies address more barriers than supports. Barriers are most associated with gender discrimination, work-family conflict, distorted self-perceptions, lack of organizational support, negative professional experience, and social and cultural norms. Supports relate to the help of significant others, organizational support strategies, professional experience and skills, and individual strategies. Conclusion: The review provides contributions to support effective interventions and public policies that support gender equality, as well as helping organizations review human resources practices to better support women's careers.