Contemplating Career Exit among Senior Women in Malaysian STEM

Abstract Senior women in STEM leadership roles in Malaysia remain scarce, and those who attain such positions often face complex pressures that may prompt them to consider exiting their careers. Using a constructivist grounded theory approach, this study explores career exit contemplation among 18 senior Malaysian women in STEM . In-depth interviews yielded a core category of ‘contemplating career exit’, underpinned by leadership fatigue and role dissonance. Key contributing dimensions included burnout from extreme workloads, work–family conflicts amplified by cultural expectations, lack of recognition, shifting personal priorities, and entrenched gender biases. The paper theorises ‘exit contemplation’ as a distinct construct, an intermediate stage between staying and leaving that represents a critical intervention point for retention. Findings are situated in literature on women’s STEM leadership, career sustainability, and role congruity theory. The discussion offers implications for organisational policy and practice, including culturally sensitive support systems, to improve retention of women leaders in STEM .