Women’s Workplace Experiences Stagnant Since 2015, New Long-term Research Shows

A new decade-long study by McKinsey and LeanIn.org reveals disconcerting stagnation amid limited progress in the landscape of gender equality within North American corporations. 

Despite an increase in women holding C-suite positions during the study timeline — from 17% in 2015 to 29% today — the study underscores that the essential pipeline for early managerial promotions remains critically flawed.

The data indicate that women are still falling behind men in crucial early promotions into management roles, with parity remaining a distant goal. Over the last decade, the share of women in lower managerial roles has increased by a mere two percentage points to 39%. 

Even as more women ascend to the C-suite, these roles are predominantly in staff functions like Chief Human Resources Officer (CHRO), which seldom lead to CEO positions. Alarmingly, only 7% of women of color hold C-suite roles, spotlighting the intersectional challenges that exacerbate gender inequality.

Adding to these complications, fewer employers now prioritize gender diversity compared to five years ago. This reduction in commitment comes despite companies investing heavily in initiatives to cultivate equity and inclusion, such as providing support for parents and caregivers and implementing de-biasing techniques in hiring and promotions.

 While 90% of companies now offer bias or allyship training, nearly 28% of women and only 11% of men report recognizing bias, showcasing a gap between corporate intentions and employee perceptions.

Significantly, women’s daily work experiences remain largely unchanged since 2015. Women continue to be twice as likely as men to face interruptions and are often mistaken for junior employees. Women of color, LGBTQ women, and women with disabilities experience a higher frequency of demeaning interactions, and more than one in three women continue to face sexual harassment, with no improvement in these statistics over the years.