Reimagining Gender-Inclusive Leadership: A Conceptual Analysis of Digital HRM Practices and Structural Barriers

Abstract

Persistent gender disparities in leadership remain a critical global and national concern despite decades of policy interventions and organisational reform. Structural barriers embedded within recruitment, promotion, performance evaluation, and work-life systems continue to impede women’s upward mobility, particularly in regions such as Southeast Asia, where socio-cultural norms intensify workplace inequalities. In Malaysia, women remain underrepresented in senior and strategic leadership roles, signalling the need for transformative mechanisms that address organisational bias at a systemic level. This conceptual article examines how Digital Human Resource Management (Digital HRM) can serve as a strategic enabler to reduce gendered structural barriers and promote gender-inclusive leadership pathways. Adopting a conceptual methodology, the study synthesises international and Malaysian literature, integrates relevant theoretical perspectives, including structural barriers theory, gendered organisational theory, and digital transformation frameworks, and proposes a comprehensive conceptual model explaining the mechanisms through which Digital HRM can enhance women’s leadership outcomes. The analysis shows that digital recruitment systems, algorithmic decision-making, HR analytics, and digital performance management hold potential to mitigate bias by increasing transparency, standardising evaluation processes, and improving access to leadership development opportunities for women. Furthermore, digital work arrangements and virtual learning ecosystems can enhance leadership readiness and work-life integration. However, the article also underscores that digitalisation alone does not guarantee equity; without strong governance, algorithmic systems may replicate existing biases. The implications of this study extend to organisational policy, national HR governance, and gender-inclusive digital transformation strategies. This conceptual work offers theoretical contributions to the intersection of gender studies and digital HRM and provides a foundation for future empirical research examining digital enablers of women’s leadership advancement