Women In the Workplace: The 2023 Round-Up

Women bring high levels of ambition to the workplace, and flexibility is their turbocharger. But, here’s the scoop - even with all the wins, achieving true parity still feels like a distant goal, and we’re still striving to bridge that gap. Despite all the efforts we are collectively putting in to bridge the gap, we’re not witnessing much change. As we step into 2024, let's take a moment to revisit our goals for promoting equality.

Before we dive into new initiatives, it's crucial to understand where we stand in the journey of gender diversity. Let's explore insights from the 2023 Women in the Workplace report by McKinsey & Company and LeanIn.Org. Together, we'll identify practical steps to progress and foster a more inclusive workplace.

Let’s start by debunking some myths about women’s work experiences and their career journeys.

Myth #1: Women’s Ambition is Declining

Reality: Women’s ambition is soaring, propelled by the flexibility offered through remote and hybrid work options.

Today, women exhibit more ambition than ever before. With the rise of hybrid and remote work, women showcase the same ambition and commitment as their male counterparts at every career level.

For around a fifth of women, flexibility has been a game-changer, allowing them to sustain or even increase their work hours. What’s even more exciting? Notably, 8 in 10 women aspire to be promoted this year, marking an increase from 7 in 10 in 2019, aligning with the ambitions of men. Breaking it down further, among women under 30, 9 in 10 women aim for a promotion, with 3 in 4 setting their sights on senior leadership roles.

Highlighting the remarkable dedication among women of color, the report reveals that 96% highly value their careers, and 88% are eager for promotions, surpassing the overall ambition levels among women. And that’s quite impressive!

Myth #2: The ‘Glass Ceiling’ is the Primary Barrier to Women’s Progression.

Reality: ‘Broken Rung’ is the most significant challenge for women striving to reach senior leadership positions.

The “Glass Ceiling” has always been seen as a primary barrier, but the report challenges this idea and points towards an even more serious barrier known as the “broken rung.”

The crucial first step towards managerial roles sees only 87 women promoted for every 100 men from entry-level. The gender gaps widen for women of color, with only 73 women advancing for every 100 men.

Authors have explained that “women fall behind and can never catch up with men” because of this broken rung. Consequently, men occupy 60% of manager-level positions, leaving women with just 40%.

Myth #3: Microaggressions only have a ‘Micro’ impact.

Reality: Microaggressions pack a significant and lasting punch, especially with their impact on women.

Microaggressions can leave a larger and lasting impact on women, turning the workplace into a ‘mental minefield’ for many. Women in the workplace face more interruptions and comments on their emotional state, happening twice as much as men. People with traditionally marginalized identities experience more frequent and demeaning slights.

Breaking it down, both Asian and Black women are seven times more likely than white women to be wrongly identified with someone of the same race and ethnicity. Additionally, black women are more than twice as likely to engage in ‘code-switching” - adjusting mannerisms, tone, or speaking style - compared to white women. For women in the LGBTQ+ community, there’s nearly six times the likelihood of them concealing aspects of their personal lives in the workplace.

Myth #4: Flexible work is mainly a preference and advantage for women.

Reality: Both men and women rank flexibility as one of the ‘top 3’ employee benefits.

Essential advantages of flexible work such as reduced fatigue, lower burnout, heightened productivity, and improved work-life balance, resonate strongly with both men and women.

A problem arises: on-site work tends to favor men because they are more likely to have the knowledge and support needed for success, as mentioned by the authors. Surprisingly, nearly 30% of women and 25% of men working remotely identify experiencing fewer unpleasant interactions with co-workers as one of the top benefits.

Champion Women in the Workplace

In 2024, let’s get one step closer to gender equality by ditching old ways of thinking and speeding up the progress for women.

Here’s what we can do on the organizational level to champion and propel women forward.

• Monitor progress in women’s representation.
• Enable managers to excel as empowering leaders.
• Confront microaggressions directly.
• Maximize the benefits of flexible work.
• Address the “Broken Rung.”

Let’s discuss each of them‌.

• Monitor progress in women’s representation

Keep a close eye on how things are shaping up for women in your organization. It’s crucial to track outcomes, not just for financial goals, but also for women’s progress in your workforce.

Here’s how you can do it:

• Measure comprehensive outcomes like hiring, promotions, and attrition. Also, focus on participation in career programs and performance ratings.
• Take an intersectional approach by tracking metrics by race and gender. Include self-reported identifiers like LGBTQ+ identity for a fuller picture.
• Keep it transparent. Communicate your diversity, equity, and inclusion goals openly to signal commitment, and encourage everyone to contribute to solutions actively.

This way, we can build an inclusive workplace that supports the progress of all women.

• Enable managers to excel as empowering leaders

Managers play a crucial role in fostering diversity, equity, and inclusion (DE&I), ensuring employee well-being, and adapting to a flexible work culture. Despite the significance of these responsibilities, managers often lack clear direction and adequate support to effectively address them.

Here’s how you can do it right:

• Be clear about what you expect from managers. Clearly define their priorities, including DE&I and employee well-being, in their job descriptions and evaluate them on people management metrics.
• Provide them with the right tools, including regular, relevant training that covers everything from career development to DE&I initiatives.
• Be transparent about the time and support they need to shine in these roles. 

After all, a positive work culture is everyone’s job, and managers are right at the helm!

• Confronting microaggressions directly

Let’s tackle microaggressions head-on - no beating around the bush. These little digs can mess with workplace well-being and lead you to miss out on great ideas and talent.

Here’s how you can address it:

• Establish a code of conduct that spells out clear expectations for all employees.
• Educate everyone! Dive deep into bias and allyship. Ensure the information is top-notch and incorporate occasional refreshers to keep everyone in the loop of important ideas.
• Create a culture where speaking up is encouraged. Those conversations might be a bit tricky, but they’re worth addressing to learn and grow.

The idea is to make every workplace a safe and respectful space for everyone!

• Maximize the benefits of flexible work

How we work is changing, and it’s time to make the most of it.

Three quick steps to get there:

• Set clear expectations for flexibility. Figure out what roles are best suited for in-person and remote work.
• Keep an eye on how things are going, adjust as needed, and involve the team.
• Make sure everyone has an equal shot - no penalties for flexible work. Focus on results and keep managers in the loop.

Let’s step into a flexible and powerful workspace together!

• Address the “Broken Rung”

Time to repair that broken rung on the career ladder once and for all! No more excuses - let’s take these three steps to make real progress.

• Track promotions closely, considering race and gender. Spot those barriers, adopt an intersectional lens, and tweak the process to close any gaps.
• De-bias performance viewers and promotions. Put in safeguards, send bias reminders, and implement explanations for decisions. It’s all about fair evaluations.
• Invest in career advancement for women of color. Tailor programs, set up mentorships, and track outcomes.

Let’s foster change together!