Why Women Managers Have to Overperform (And How It’s Costing Businesses Talent and Innovation)

Asia Solnyshkina is no stranger to navigating challenging terrain. As a tech entrepreneur, founder of the remote-first agency ProSense, and mother of two, she understands firsthand the reality of juggling multiple responsibilities. In this conversation, Asia explores why women, particularly mothers, often feel pressured to consistently overperform and how businesses must address this reality to retain talent and drive innovation.

The Invisible Double Shift

Q: You mentioned women often have to run twice as fast in business. Why does this happen?

Asia: On the surface, it seems we have equality, but in reality, women still carry a double burden. I'm a mother of two, and running my company, ProSense, isn't my only full-time job. I have a neurodivergent daughter who requires specialized therapy and care, and managing the education of my older son is another demanding responsibility. Society still views household duties and childcare primarily as women's work, creating a scenario where women essentially have two jobs: one paid at the office, and one unpaid at home. And it truly is another job — at home, I follow similar standard operating procedures, hire people, manage finances, build teams, and ensure everyone knows their responsibilities. How is this different from managing a business? It isn't.

Overperforming: Not a Choice, But a Necessity

How does this double burden compel women to overperform professionally?

When a woman becomes a mother, businesses often automatically assume she’ll become less dedicated or available. It's understandable — I had the same fears when I was a young employer myself. This perception forces women to prove their value by consistently working longer hours, delivering higher-quality outputs, and constantly demonstrating their worth. This isn't healthy for anyone involved. I notice it in myself and in the women who work with me: we naturally feel more responsible yet less confident, regardless of our actual abilities. As a result, we end up working at least 1.5 times harder just because of these biases. Ultimately, this doesn't benefit either the women or the business.

The Real Cost of Ignoring the Problem

What’s the impact on businesses that ignore the additional pressures mothers face?

Businesses lose invaluable talent. Women who constantly feel the need to overperform become exhausted, frustrated, and eventually leave. Interestingly, in my experience, women rarely exhibit visible signs of burnout, unlike men who burn out more openly. Women tend to internalize it until it becomes critical. The hidden cost is enormous: companies lose skilled leaders, diversity of thought, and innovation. Yet, many organizations fail to recognize this dynamic because it's invisible, silent, and deeply ingrained.

How Flexible Structures Benefit Both Employees and Businesses

What steps have you taken in your company to address this issue?

At ProSense, we actively support mothers by providing flexible working arrangements. For instance, one of our women managers needed her workday adjusted due to childcare responsibilities. She now works six hours in the morning and two additional hours late at night after her kids go to bed. This arrangement hasn't harmed productivity — it has enhanced it. By adapting to our employees' real-life circumstances, we build loyalty, improve performance, and retain talent.

Do you think this is a global dynamic?

I run an international business, and it's fascinating to observe how women work in different countries. Yes, there are places where the situation is better and places where it's worse, but I've yet to see true gender equality without any biases. Last December, at the AWS conference in Las Vegas, I was struck by how significantly fewer women attended compared to men. Even though there were dedicated panels and meetups for women, the disparity was clear.

Changing the Narrative

What's your message to businesses regarding working mothers and workplace flexibility?

Stop viewing motherhood as a weakness — it's an asset. Mothers develop essential skills like resilience, emotional intelligence, multitasking, and crisis management out of necessity. Recognizing and embracing these skills doesn't just support women; it strengthens your entire organization. When we acknowledge the hidden burdens women carry and create genuine equality, everyone benefits.

Because when women thrive, businesses—and society—thrive.