The tenth annual Lean In and McKinsey Women in the Workplace report highlights both positive progress and ongoing challenges for women in corporate America. After a decade of tracking the proportions of women at each management level, there are some positive trends, but doubts remain about whether these gains are sustainable. At the current pace of progress, the report estimates it will take 22 years for white women to achieve gender parity in the workplace and a whopping 50 years for women of color to gain equality.
“It’s a good news, bad news story,” says Rachel Thomas, CEO and cofounder of Lean In, about the survey. The good news is that 29% of C-suite leaders are now women, up from 17% in 2015. While there have been smaller gains at other levels, progress is still notable. Over the past decade, the percentage of women managers increased by 2%, and the number of female vice presidents rose by 7%.
At the current rate of progress, the report’s authors estimate that white women will achieve gender parity with men by 2046, while women of color will not achieve it until 2074.
The troubling reality isn’t just that it will take a half century to reach gender equality, but also that the level of progress required to reach even those goals may not be achievable. In fact, these projections are likely optimistic, as they rely on trends that could prove challenging to maintain over time. “If you look under the hood at the numbers, the progress is more fragile,” Thomas explains.
For example, the increases in women’s representation in the C-suite can be primarily attributed to organizations adding new positions for support roles such as chief human resources officer or chief legal officer. Since organizations cannot continue to add new positions to the C-suite, this growth will be “nearly impossible to replicate in the years to come,” according to the report. Additionally, restructuring at many companies led to the elimination of many management roles typically held by men, perhaps artificially inflating women’s representation.
Furthermore, the challenges women face early in their careers show little signs of improvement. Although women earn 59% of bachelor’s degrees, they hold only 48% of entry-level corporate positions, and for every 100 men promoted to manager, only 81 women make the same leap. This early career hurdle, often called the ‘broken rung’ on the career ladder, creates a lasting disadvantage.
Sheryl Sandberg, founder of Lean In, emphasizes that the broken rung for women continues to be the most critical finding in the report. “Everyone wants women in senior leadership roles, but five years out of college, which is roughly when this happens, if for every 100 men, you only promote 81 women and 54 women of color, you’re never going to get there,” Sandberg explains.
While data on women’s progress highlights critical obstacles, the findings on organizational efforts to support women also offer a mixed picture. On the positive side, more companies are taking steps to reduce bias in the hiring process, and many are implementing systems to ensure fairer performance reviews.
Nonetheless, companies have scaled back initiatives aimed at advancing women. There has been a noticeable decline in recruitment and internship programs focused on women, along with reduced investment in initiatives specifically designed to support women of color. Bias training for employees has decreased, as has training on how to be an effective ally.
Sandberg suggests this pullback may result from backlash or a belief that enough progress has already been made. She points out that similar trends were seen after #MeToo when sexual harassment numbers initially dropped but increased again once efforts waned. “We just need to keep our foot on the gas pedal and remember how important this is,” Sandberg says of the need to continue pushing for women’s advancement.
Organizational efforts to support women have significant room for improvement. For instance, only one in ten companies remove identifying information from résumés or work samples—an easy and effective way to reduce bias in the hiring process. Additionally, just over half of organizations require a diverse slate of equally qualified candidates for open positions, leaving many organizations with another opportunity to enhance fair hiring practices.
While organizations play a crucial role in fostering an equitable environment, women can also take proactive steps to support their own advancement. Sandberg suggests that women join Lean In circles, the free networking groups facilitated by her organization. “Being in a small group about female ambition is so powerful, and we see the results. Eighty-five percent of people will take on a new challenge. Two-thirds will change something positive in their lives. So, being comfortable and putting yourself in a place where you are explicitly ambitious is really, really important,” she says.
It’s important to note that although women are more likely than men to face microaggressions, bear a greater share of childcare responsibilities, and have their competence undermined at work, they remain just as ambitious as their male peers. The gender difference in promotion rates is not due to women’s lack of drive but rather the additional barriers they must navigate to reach the top.
Despite predictions that white women will achieve gender parity in 22 years and women of color in 50 years, the reality of when we’ll be reaching true equality remains uncertain. When I asked Sandberg whether she believed women would achieve gender parity in her lifetime, her response was candid: “That would be nice. I’m 55.” She paused before adding, “Not if people don’t get more focused.” Her words serve as a reminder that real progress requires unwavering commitment and a collective effort to keep moving forward.