The Allyship Trap Why Performance Reviews Hurt Women More

Women at Work: Career, Leadership & Modern Work · May 23, 2026 · 7m · transcript

Lucas and Luna explore a growing body of research showing that standard performance-review formats inadvertently penalize women — particularly in collaborative or team-oriented roles. They walk through a 2024 study of 15,000 reviews at a Fortune 500 tech firm, where women received 2.5 times more negative feedback on 'teamwork' than equally rated male peers, despite identical productivity metrics. The episode digs into the concept of 'ally theater' — when managers think they're supporting women but actually apply softer standards that backfire at promotion time. Lucas cites data from a 2025…