Queen Bee Syndrome
What is Queen Bee Syndrome?
What is Queen Bee Syndrome?
Queen Bee Syndrome is a psychological and social phenomenon observed in workplace environments where a woman in a leadership position distances herself from other women in the company – for example, by failing to support their development, creating barriers to their advancement, or showing favoritism toward men.
The term “Queen Bee Syndrome” was first introduced in a 1973 publication. It described women who had achieved individual success in male-dominated environments, secured high-level positions, and were more likely to accept gender stereotypes. In other words, these women tended to view their female subordinates as rivals and displayed negative attitudes toward them, increasing the risk of discrimination.
Research confirms this phenomenon actually occurs, particularly in organizations with low female representation in decision-making roles and strongly hierarchical cultures.
What causes Queen Bee Syndrome?
According to analysis by Belle Derks, Colette van Laar, and Naomi Ellemers, Queen Bee behaviors emerge under specific circumstances – for instance, when a woman operates under the belief that career success depends on competition rather than collaboration because the organization doesn't create space for multiple female leaders to develop simultaneously.
The most common causes of Queen Bee Syndrome include:
- Structural discrimination and gender bias – Women in senior positions who function in masculinized environments (such as law enforcement) often distance themselves from other women, deny the existence of discrimination, and adopt masculine leadership styles. This isn’t about individual personality traits but rather the need to adapt to an environment where success requires distancing oneself from one's gender identity.
- Limited access to decision-making positions – In organizations where the number of leadership roles available to women is restricted, competition may be fiercer, and supporting the “competition” becomes less advantageous.
- Lack of female leadership role models – When women advance without support, mentoring, or positive examples, they may come to believe that “since they managed on their own”, other women should also handle things independently.
How to recognize Queen Bee Syndrome
Queen Bee Syndrome undermines the foundations of a healthy organizational culture – trust, psychological safety, and equal opportunity. Here are the warning signs and behaviors that may indicate we're dealing with this phenomenon:
Lack of support for other women – Instead of working to strengthen women's positions in the organization, someone with Queen Bee Syndrome may deliberately limit their space for growth by not sharing knowledge, failing to promote their potential, or marginalizing their development needs.
Open rejection of femininity – When we hear messages like “It's hard to work with women”, these may indicate cutting oneself off from one's own gender identity and attempting to build position at the expense of other women.
Creating barriers to other women's career development – Passing them over for promotions, delegating less prestigious tasks, or criticizing them to superiors are actions that effectively block other women's professional development within the team.
Competition instead of sisterhood – Someone with this syndrome views other women as threats, not as partners in action. As a result, tension, distance, and unhealthy competition for influence and recognition emerge within the team.
Diminishing other women's successes – Instead of congratulations, ironic comments, passive aggression, or dismissing successes with silence appear, leading to decreased team engagement.
Perpetuating gender stereotypes – Comments like “She takes things too personally” or “This situation needs a firm hand” are examples of narratives that reinforce stereotypes and undermine other women's competencies. They perpetuate inequalities and make it harder to build an equitable work culture.
Recurring complaints in organizational surveys – Comments about lack of support or tense team atmosphere that regularly appear in mood surveys or exit interviews may indicate that Queen Bee Syndrome is developing within the team.
Impact of Queen Bee Syndrome on teams
From an HR and management perspective, Queen Bee Syndrome poses a threat to team cohesion and long-term talent development. Its presence can disrupt natural collaboration mechanisms – female employees, instead of developing in a supportive atmosphere, function under conditions of implicit rivalry and tension.
This phenomenon often doesn't manifest directly – there are no open conflicts, and the team may appear to function “normally” from the outside. However, internally, burnout, giving up on professional growth, or withdrawal from initiatives may occur. Under such conditions, it becomes harder to identify and promote talent, and development processes become less effective, especially among women.
Queen Bee Syndrome can also weaken feedback culture. When the relationship with a female leader doesn't provide psychological safety, female employees are less likely to ask questions, voice needs, or openly respond to feedback. Meanwhile, feedback given by someone exhibiting this syndrome often has an evaluative or deprecating character, which over time reduces trust and engagement within the team.
How to prevent Queen Bee Syndrome in organizations
Effectively countering Queen Bee Syndrome requires action on multiple levels. The starting point is a work environment based on equality and diversity. This should be supported by clear DEI policies, measurable gender equality indicators, and regular anti-discrimination training. Reducing competitive pressure and strengthening collaboration can be achieved through mentoring programs, promoting female leadership, and creating spaces for building leadership competencies.
A culture of open dialogue and regular feedback helps identify the early signs of Queen Bee Syndrome. One-on-one meetings, development conversations, and safe channels for reporting difficulties create space for discussion and enable responses before unhealthy mechanisms become entrenched.
An essential preventive element is also preparing management staff to work with diverse teams. Leaders should be encouraged to cultivate openness, mindfulness, and accountability for team dynamics.
Finally – transparent promotion and compensation policies. Policies based on clear criteria and an equitable approach help limit the risk of informal barriers and unjustified dependencies forming. Under such conditions, Queen Bee Syndrome has significantly less chance to develop.
How to leverage HR platforms in the context of Queen Bee Syndrome
An HR platform is an effective tool that helps counter Queen Bee Syndrome and supports building a work environment based on equality, trust, and safety. Particularly useful features include:
360° reviews and feedback analysis – to identify behavioral patterns that may indicate unequal treatment or lack of support;
Reporting – to analyze data on promotions, compensation, and turnover by gender and other variables;
Pulse surveys and mood assessments – to monitor engagement declines;
Individual development plans – to create equal development conditions;
1:1 meetings – to conduct conversations about challenges and needs;
SafeSpeak – for anonymous problem reporting.
Summary
Queen Bee Syndrome is one of the more complex challenges facing modern organizations. While often perceived as an individual or interpersonal problem, it's actually a response to systemic barriers that force women to choose between solidarity and their own professional development.
Therefore, countering this phenomenon cannot be limited to working with individual cases. It's primarily an organizational task that requires transparent HR processes, long-term support programs, and a culture based on equality. Under such conditions, there's no need for rivalry or fighting for position at the expense of female colleagues.