Women in the workplace are more likely than men in similar roles to act as allies to colleagues and do more to support their teams. However, the work they do often goes unrecognized, according to a new report.
The study, conducted by McKinsey in partnership with LeanIn.org, surveyed over 65,000 employees and pulled data from 423 organizations. Using talent pipeline data, survey questions and qualitative interviews, the study explored the experiences of women in the workforce and suggested paths to progress.
Here are some of the key findings:
Representation
Despite recent improvements in representation, women are still significantly underrepresented in leadership positions.
- Representation of women of color decreases 75 percent between entry-level positions and the C-suite.
- For every 100 men promoted to manager, only 86 women are promoted.
Experience
Women also face higher rates of burnout and stress and are more frequently subjected to microaggressions and othering behaviors.
- The burnout gap between men and women has almost doubled.
- Women are twice as likely to feel burned out if they experience frequent microaggressions compared to those who don't.
Female leaders
Female leaders have been found to spend more time on informal diversity, equity and inclusion work, spend more time educating themselves on important social issues and are more likely to speak out against discrimination.
- Employees who have female managers are more likely to say they feel supported.
- While 70 percent of companies recognize DEI work as critical, less than a quarter of these companies formally and substantially integrate acknowledgment of this work into evaluations.
The study concluded that to change these outcomes, deep cultural shifts are needed. Raising awareness of social issues, support from senior leadership, and increased bias and allyship training are all parts of the solution.