We've Got Work to Do
When it comes to women in the workplace, there has been progress over the years. However, recent LinkedIn Data studies show that progress on putting women into senior leadership roles has stalled.
The 36.4% of women hired into leadership roles in 2024 is a steady decline from the 37.5% in 2022.
Women represent 42% of the global workforce overall, but the share working at the senior levels of their organizations has moved only about 1% since 2016, from 30.4% to 31.7%.
Additionally, Fortune and Textio shared research recently about how women receive more negative attention at work. About 76% of top-performing working women receive negative feedback from their bosses compared to just 2% of high-achieving men. Plus, the feedback given to women is more about aspects of their social presentation--their executive presence.
The glass ceiling still exists and these studies provide insights on how much work we leaders need to do.
Breaking the glass ceiling requires both personal and systemic change. For leaders and managers, it starts with awareness. Becoming aware of interactions with employees (yours and others) is an important first step to understand where unconscious bias may exist and what actions need to be put into place to make necessary changes.
Training and workshops can increase the recognition and understanding of how biases can impact decision-making. Coaching may also be necessary. Citing the Textio study, HR leaders suggest some form of coaching because managerial training isn’t enough. Most people aren’t taught how to lead, including giving difficult feedback or how to have tough conversations. Coaching helps leaders recognize where they may need to improve individually, and can course correct unconscious bias.
For those who are facing adversity that's hindering progression in the workplace, there are things that can advance careers and help more women step into those leadership roles, like:
Building a Strong Network: Cultivate relationships with mentors, sponsors, and peers to provide advice, opportunities, guidance and advocacy. These relationships will provide critical support and open doors to new opportunities.
Focusing on Up-leveling your Skills: Continue to improve your skills is imperative and this includes both the technical skills that are important to doing your job and soft skills required for leaders. Mastering these skills will help you focus people on all of the value that you bring and shape your narrative and reputation.
Advocating for Yourself: Celebrate your achievements and ask for what you want, including negotiating for promotions, more responsibility or team, raises, or leadership opportunities. You are your most important advocate.
Empowering Others: Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. Foster an inclusive culture that supports advancement for everyone and find opportunities to lift others up, and recognize their achievements.
Above all, stay resilient. Facing setbacks and challenges will happen in the workplace. If you stay focused on your goals, learn from your experiences, and keep pushing forward, you will come out on the other side more resilient and ready for whatever comes next.
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