A significant barrier women face in men-dominated fields, like science and engineering, is balancing work and family responsibilities. While work-family conflict is not unique to these industries, it's amplified by their long hours and high demands.

To address these challenges, organizations are increasingly offering family benefits, such as extended parental leave. Industries such as finance and technology in the United States and financial services in the United Kingdom are leading the way in offering generous parental leave policies.

However, such policies can have a paradoxical effect: despite their positive intentions in attracting women to men-dominated occupations, they may inadvertently harm women's careers by reinforcing, rather than solving, inequities.

By comparison, recent research suggests that men may not face negative penalties after taking a parental leave. Moreover, taking a parental leave has been linked to positive impressions of men.

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