While it’s not really news that women and especially women of color are more likely to encounter roadblocks in the journey to a leadership role, it’s very disconcerting to how it’s affecting not just the women, but the companies that are losing out on this talent.
“The research shows women become increasingly disillusioned about equal access as they move up the ladder. While men are more likely to feel included and taken seriously as a leader, women do not experience this same boost,” concluded the report from SHRM (the Society for Human Resource Management.
And one example of the result of this culture is that female managers of color are five times more likely (21%) than their white female counterparts (4%) to say they have quit a job after being overlooked for a new leadership opportunity at work.
This at a time when companies are trying to be more inclusive is very troubling.
“The research shows women become increasingly disillusioned about equal access as they move up the ladder. While men are more likely to feel included and taken seriously as a leader, women do not experience this same boost,” concluded the report from SHRM (the Society for Human Resource Management) in its study Women in Leadership: Unequal Access on the Journey to the Top.
Survey Results
Some key findings of the report that was released last week include:
- Female managers (55%) are more likely than their male counterparts (42%) to aspire to a higher-level role because they think they would be good at it.
- Only 61% of women say that their manager encourages them to grow their career compared to 71% of men.
- Female managers are less likely than male managers to say employees in their organization are made aware of internal job openings (78% versus 86%).
- Female managers are less likely than their male counterparts to have reached their current role by being promoted internally (40% versus 48%).
- As women move from individual contributors to managers, they become more likely to believe women in their organization are given fewer opportunities for upward career growth than men (24% versus 37%).
- White female managers (65%), and especially female managers of color (57%), are less likely to feel included in key networks at their organization than male managers of color (68%) and white male managers (73%).
- Female managers of color (56%) are much less likely to feel they can talk about their personal life with others at work without feeling judged than white female managers (70%), male managers of color (72%) and white male managers (79%).
- Female managers with caregiving responsibilities (35%) are more likely to have experienced a pandemic-related career setback than their male counterparts (26%).
- Only half (52%) of HR professionals believe that senior leaders in their organization are held accountable for ensuring male and female employees have equitable access to career paths or opportunities that lead to leadership roles.
"In a climate where it’s harder than ever to source and retain talent, it’s imperative that business leaders take a closer look at the gender gaps that exist across their organizations to see that every employee has the opportunity to realize their full potential,” said SHRM Chief of Staff Emily M. Dickens, in a statement.
