Do you keep getting passed over for promotion? Have you experienced microaggressions in the workplace? Is it hard for you to advocate for yourself at work?
According to the largest study of the state of women in corporate America, the number of women in senior leadership positions is increasing. Since 2015, the number of women in the C-suite has increased from 17 to 28 percent. But women are still significantly underrepresented across the corporate pipeline.
The 2023 Women in Workplace Report confirms that the situation for women in tech is especially dire. Women represent only 27% of the tech workforce. While more women are pursuing STEM education, they are not staying in tech. Women drop out, or are not encouraged to pursue tech careers. Only 21% of tech leadership roles are held by women.
🥛 Is the glass ceiling the main issue? Research shows that the “broken rung” is the bigger problem. Progress is slower for women at the manager and director levels, creating a weak middle in the pipeline. For the ninth consecutive year, women’s biggest hurdle to advancement is the first step up to manager. For every 100 men promoted from entry-level to manager, 87 women are promoted. As a result, there are fewer women to promote to director. The number of women decreases at every subsequent level.
💪🏽 Are women simply less ambitious than men? The data says NO. Women are as committed to their careers and as interested in being promoted as men at every stage of the pipeline. Since the pandemic, women are more ambitious that before. Flexibility is fueling that ambition. One in five women say remote or hybrid work has helped them stay in their job and avoid reducing their hours.
😔 Do microaggressions hold you back? Women experience microaggressions at a significantly higher rate than men. For example, they are twice as likely to be interrupted and hear comments about their emotional state. Traditionally marginalized women experience microaggressions to an even greater degree.
If you experience microaggressions, you don’t feel psychologically safe, which makes it harder to take risks, propose new ideas, or raise concerns. Unchecked microaggressions push women to leave organizations and to leave tech.
What can companies do to accelerate equality in the workplace?
- Build inclusive workplaces through gender bias training, creating a culture of allyship, and implementing Lean In Circles: https://leanin.org/partner
- Promote more women and women of color into leadership roles and provide them with the training and mentorship needed to be successful.
- Offer remote or hybrid work. Flexibility will help attract, retain, and support valuable female leaders.
- Pay for coaching to empower women to advocate for themselves, build their confidence, and grow their leadership skills.
What can you do to advance in your career? Sign up for one of my free Confidence Booster sessions to find out: https://calendly.com/annagradiecoaching/45min
Lots of love,
-Anna
