Women are increasingly reimagining what career success looks like, whether founding, leading or advising businesses. But despite huge progress in recent years, they are doing so within a world of work that still carries structural barriers.
Many women remain effectively locked out of earning because of the rigid, traditional nine-to-five employment market. The expectation of fixed hours, office presence and linear progression continues to exclude those whose lives demand greater adaptability.
Fractional work is changing that. It allows skilled professionals to work with several organisations simultaneously, often on a part-time or project basis. The result is a more flexible, autonomous and fulfilling approach to building a career. For women, this shift opens doors that were once closed. It enables them to balance ambition with adaptability and to create working lives that reflect both their professional goals and their personal priorities.
As Connectd COO Claudia Stankler explains, “For decades, women have had to fit into structures that weren’t built for them. Fractional leadership changes that. It lets you lead on your own terms and in a way that feels true to you.”
Fractional work is not about stepping back. It is about stepping forward in a way that fits.
Flexibility that empowers freedom
Women today typically juggle multiple responsibilities that demand a high degree of flexibility. Whether that means mentoring others, pursuing further education, supporting their communities, or managing other commitments, the ability to design a career around life rather than the other way round has never been more important.
A portfolio career enables women to tailor their work schedules, choosing engagements that align with their capacity, interests and expertise. Many fractional professionals work asynchronously, collaborating across time zones and contributing to organisations wherever they are based. This level of autonomy makes it possible to thrive both professionally and personally, without compromise.
Claudia has experienced this evolution first-hand. Having spent years navigating leadership spaces that were often dominated by men, she reflects on the importance of staying grounded in her own perspective. “It’s very easy to morph into the group that thinks similarly to the people in the room,” she says. “Being authentic to myself and the way I think has been a skill I’ve had to hone.”
Fractional work makes that authenticity easier to sustain. By freeing women from rigid frameworks, it allows them to shape roles that genuinely suit them and to focus on work that energises rather than depletes.
Financial independence in a changing economy
Financial independence has become increasingly valuable in today’s challenging economy. Rising costs and economic uncertainty mean that many professionals are seeking ways to diversify their income and secure more control over their financial futures.
For women in particular, fractional work can be a powerful route to financial stability. By working with multiple organisations, women can create a diversified income stream rather than relying on a single employer. This flexibility allows them to weather periods of change more confidently, whether that’s shifting market conditions, organisational restructuring or personal transitions.
The financial benefits also extend to fairer pay. Studies consistently show that women continue to earn less than men in senior roles, even when performing similar jobs. According to the Office for National Statistics, the gender pay gap for full-time employees in the UK was 7.7% in 2024, with the gap widening in higher-paying professions.
Fractional work sits outside many of those corporate confines. It enables women to set their own rates based on market value, contribution and expertise rather than internal pay structures. By working independently with several businesses, women can finally charge what they are worth and negotiate with greater confidence.
As Claudia notes, Connectd has seen this shift play out in real time. “We’ve seen fractional placements rise by 181%, and a growing number of those roles are being filled by women ready to build their own path.”
For many, fractional work represents not only a way to pursue purpose but also a way to gain greater financial empowerment.
Accelerating growth and upskilling
Fractional work also creates opportunities for continuous learning. Many women take career breaks at different stages of life, and returning to traditional employment can be difficult in systems that reward uninterrupted progression. Fractional work provides a bridge back into the market, offering opportunities to apply existing expertise while gaining new skills and experiences.
“When leaders operate fractionally, they’re often stepping into businesses during moments of change; fundraising, restructuring, scaling,” Claudia explains. “That’s where they can make the biggest impact.”
Startups and scale-ups, in particular, offer fertile ground for learning. These fast-moving environments allow fractional professionals to experiment, adapt and grow in ways that corporate structures often cannot accommodate. Whether it’s exploring new sectors, developing digital expertise or learning the rhythms of early-stage growth, the experience gained through fractional roles strengthens both skill sets and employability.
Connectd member Liz Berger spoke about the value of her fractional placement with a startup in our network:
"It made me reflect on how others perceive me as a leader and pushed me to consider the complexities of today’s business environment. I now feel well-prepared for the challenges ahead."
This model keeps knowledge fresh and thinking versatile. It empowers women to stay ahead of evolving industries, positioning them for success in a constantly shifting economy.
Leadership without limits
Fractional work is also unlocking new forms of leadership. Startups and high-growth companies increasingly seek fractional executives to help guide them through crucial stages of development. These roles allow women to lead strategically without the constraints of full-time corporate hierarchies.
Fractional leaders influence culture, strategy and performance across multiple organisations, building impact through insight rather than authority. They are often brought in to advise founders, shape strategy or coach leadership teams, creating tangible outcomes that extend beyond a single business.
This approach redefines what senior leadership can look like. Authority is measured not by how many hours someone spends in an office, but by the clarity, perspective and value they bring.
For women, this model of leadership represents genuine choice. It enables them to craft careers that are high-impact and self-directed, combining ambition with balance and influence with autonomy.
A new professional ecosystem
As fractional work gains traction, it is creating a collaborative ecosystem built on trust, expertise and shared ambition. Women who work fractionally often act as bridges between organisations, transferring ideas, lessons and best practices across industries. This cross-pollination strengthens innovation and fuels business resilience, builds community and sets precedents. Many women in fractional roles mentor founders, advise boards and guide early-stage teams; their presence not only supports company growth but also opens doors for the next generation of female leaders to come through and make their mark.
The trend is reflected in broader entrepreneurship statistics, with the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor reporting that early-stage female entrepreneurship in the UK has nearly tripled in a generation. As more women found and lead businesses, they are supported by an expanding network of experienced fractional professionals who understand both the opportunities and challenges faced by women in the early-stage space.
Fractional work is at the heart of that ecosystem, creating connections that make professional life more collaborative, inclusive and forward-looking while fuelling growth and innovation.
Success on your own terms
Perhaps the greatest promise of fractional work lies in its ability to make success sustainable.
It allows women to pursue meaningful, high-level work while maintaining balance and variety. It gives them room to experiment, to upskill and to diversify. And it proves that it is possible to build a thriving career while enjoying personal fulfilment and other interests beyond work.
Fractional work is not a compromise or a step away from ambition - it’s a model built on trust, flexibility and impact that reflects the priorities of a modern workforce.
The future of work will not be defined by fixed structures or traditional paths. It will be defined by those who have the confidence to shape their own careers - and women are at the forefront of this movement.
