Ira S. Wolfe is a top-ranked global thought leader on the future of work. Coach, 6-time author, TEDx speaker | Poised for the Future Company
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While the gender pay gap garners most of the attention, there are other subtle ways in which women are marginalized in the workplace. From being held to higher standards to being passed over for career development opportunities, these five examples show that there is still a long way to go before workplace equality is a reality. But there are also ways to move forward.
1. Women Spend More Time On DEI Initiatives Than Men
According to a recent study by McKinsey, women spend more time than men on diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives at work. Why that happens is unclear. Do women place a higher priority on DEI or do men delegate it because it’s more aligned with women’s work? Whatever the reason, it’s happening and there’s little research focused on finding out why. A more cynical perspective is that DEI initiatives—when they get the backing of management—consume a lot of time and energy. The report revealed that "40 percent of women leaders say their DEI work isn’t acknowledged at all in performance reviews." So here’s the thing. If a woman commits her time and energy toward a goal that doesn’t get acknowledged, it’s unlikely she will be recognized as a high-potential and rising star and be given the opportunity for promotion.
Solution: Where there’s smoke, there’s fire. Why is this happening? Bias is insidious and subtle. Smother these flames of microaggressions by ensuring that DEI is recognized as an integral factor of performance from the C-Suite down to the front line.
2. Women Are Burning Out Faster
In recent years, the topic of burnout has received a lot of attention. While it is certainly a problem that plagues both men and women, new data suggests that it may be escalating much faster among women than among men. The McKinsey "Women in the Workplace" report referenced earlier found women are stretched thin: "One in three women have considered downshifting their career or leaving the workforce this year, compared with one in four who said this a few months into the pandemic."
According to a new report from Slack’s Future Forum consortium, women are 32% more likely to experience burnout than men, and employees under the age of 30 are 29% more likely to experience burnout than their older counterparts. How is this playing out? Women leaders are leaving their companies at the highest rate ever seen: For every woman who gets promoted to the next level, two women leave their company.
Solution: Again, business leaders must ask why this is happening. Paraphrasing the U.S. Marine Corps motto, leave no woman behind! It’s not only the right thing to do but the necessary thing to do if you want to fill your workforce with top talent in the midst of long-lasting labor shortages and demographic shifts. Make well-being a top priority for all workers.
3. The Motherhood Penalty
Mothers are significantly less likely than fathers to be recommended for promotions and receive high-performance ratings. This “motherhood penalty” is even worse for working mothers of color. In addition, fathers are more likely to be seen as competent when they have children, while mothers are more likely to be seen as nurturing and compassionate. This double standard can make it difficult for mothers to be taken seriously as professionals and progress in their careers.
Solution: This isn’t a trick question. The answer is simple. To paraphrase management guru Peter Drucker: If you don’t measure it, you can't manage it. Measure it.
4. A Culture of Microaggressions
According to McKinsey, "women leaders are more likely to experience belittling microaggressions," such as having their judgment questioned or being mistaken for someone more junior. But it’s not just women leaders. A recent Harvard Business Review article revealed that "only 3% of Black knowledge workers wanted to return to full-time on-site work, as opposed to 21% of white peers." One reason often cited is women experience fewer microaggressions when working remotely. The article unfortunately reveals another subtle microaggression: being mistaken for someone more junior. Women of color are more likely to be mistaken for support staff, such as janitors or administrative assistants.
Solution: Old habits are tough to break. Many say the first step in managing microaggressions is to acknowledge they are happening. I disagree. Assume they are happening and educate, educate, educate. Then create a safe space for people to share their experiences.
5. The 'Broken Rung'
Despite the progress that has been made, women are still underrepresented in leadership positions. In the past, the focus was on the “glass ceiling,” which is the invisible barrier that prevents women from advancing to senior management positions. But maybe that’s a symptom of a bigger problem. The “broken rung,” a term coined following a five-year study, showed women in entry-level jobs were less likely to be promoted to first-level managerial positions. For every 100 men who become managers, only 72 women get the same positions. Despite billions of dollars and lots of bluster invested in diversity, fewer women (38%) hold managerial positions than men (62%). Women of color are particularly susceptible to the broken rung, dropping from 18% of entry-level positions to a mere 4% of C-Suite positions.
Solution: What can I say? The broken rung is a dumpster fire. First, acknowledge it exists; then create mentoring, coaching and sponsorship opportunities for every worker in your organization, no matter their race, sexual preference or color.
These five examples are just the tip of the iceberg and show that there is still a long way to go before workplace equality is a reality. It’s not just commitment that holds DEI back—only 34% of companies allocated enough resources to support it.
Fortunately, there are signs of progress. As of at least July 2022, all Fortune 100 companies have made a renewed public commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion. As these trends continue and remote work becomes more common, there is hope that the workplace will become more equal for everyone.
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