From Barriers to Breakthroughs: Why Women Deserve More in Today’s Workplace

For more than a decade, corporate efforts to advance gender equity have yielded progress, but the journey is far from complete. The 2024 Women in the Workplace report sheds light on the persistent gender gap in leadership roles, revealing that even as women’s representation improves, systemic barriers remain. Although the report focuses on corporate America, its findings echo universal challenges that women face in workplaces across the globe.

Gender Parity is Essential for Organisational Success

Research from McKinsey has consistently shown that companies with more women in leadership perform better, demonstrating greater innovation, healthier cultures, and stronger financial returns. This is no accident. Women bring unique perspectives and problem-solving skills to the table, which fosters a more dynamic and resilient organisation when combined with diverse leadership.

However, despite this clear advantage, progress toward gender parity is alarmingly slow. Women now represent 29% of C-suite roles in the U.S., but in many parts of the world, particularly in developing regions, this percentage remains far lower. According to the World Economic Forum's 2023 Global Gender Gap Report, achieving full gender parity will take 131 years at the current rate. This underscores a global issue: the talent and potential of half the population are being systematically underutilised.

Structural Barriers Hold Back Women’s Advancement Everywhere

Across the globe, women encounter similar barriers at the start of their careers—what experts have coined the “broken rung.” This refers to the substantial drop in women’s advancement at the first step of management. The Women in the Workplace 2024 report highlights that for every 100 men promoted to manager, only 81 women achieve the same. This discrepancy is even more pronounced for women of colour.

But this phenomenon isn’t limited to the U.S. In Europe, Latin America, Asia, and Africa, women face structural biases rooted in historical and cultural norms that undervalue their contributions. In many societies, women are expected to juggle careers with the majority of caregiving and household responsibilities. Without targeted policies like flexible work arrangements, family leave, and mentorship programs, these barriers continue to impede women’s progression in the workplace.

A universal truth surfaces here: a system designed without women in mind cannot truly advance them. If we want workplaces to be spaces where women thrive, companies, governments, and institutions must commit to breaking these barriers through intentional policy reforms and cultural shifts.

Age Bias Adds Another Layer to Gender Inequality

While much of the conversation focuses on younger women and early-career challenges, older women, particularly those in their 40s and beyond, face another kind of bias—ageism. The Women in the Workplace 2024 report reveals that as women age, their opportunities for advancement dwindle, often outpaced by younger, less-experienced colleagues.

In many cultures, older women are perceived as being “past their prime” or out of touch with modern trends, even though their experience, wisdom, and leadership skills make them incredibly valuable. This bias is particularly damaging, as it marginalises a group of women who could offer mentorship and serve as role models for the next generation. Yet, globally, older women often find themselves overlooked for promotions and new opportunities while their male counterparts continue to progress well into the later stages of their careers.

This age bias reinforces a damaging cycle: women who are capable of leading organisations to success are pushed aside, and companies lose out on the benefits of seasoned leadership. To address this, we must rethink our assumptions about age and leadership, recognising the value that older women bring to the workplace.

Diversity and Inclusion Efforts Require Sustained Commitment

The Women in the Workplace 2024 report warns of a troubling trend—companies pulling back from their commitments to diversity and inclusion. This mirrors findings in other regions. For example, a study from the UK’s Equality and Human Rights Commission found that post-pandemic, many companies reduced their focus on gender diversity in favour of short-term financial gains. Yet, scaling back on gender equity initiatives ignores the long-term benefits these programs bring.

The corporate world’s relationship with diversity initiatives can often be described as fickle. Companies engage when diversity is trending but retreat when the results are slow. This inconsistency creates fragile progress, as observed in the U.S. and beyond. To truly integrate diversity and inclusion into a company’s DNA, leaders must view it as a core business strategy—not a checkbox on a corporate social responsibility report.

Systemic Change Demands a Cultural Revolution

While implementing policies like de-biasing hiring processes and offering career development programs for women are crucial, they will not drive sustainable progress on their own. Culture plays an equally, if not more, significant role in shaping women’s experiences at work. As organisational psychologist Adam Grant asserts, “Changing a culture is not a sprint, but a marathon. It requires reshaping mindsets, behaviours, and, ultimately, the fabric of the organisation.”

From Japan to Nigeria, India to Brazil, the need for cultural transformation is undeniable. Biases against women, especially women of colour or women in traditionally male-dominated fields, remain prevalent worldwide. Moreover, microaggressions—small, often unintentional acts that undermine women’s competence—persist in every region. These cultural challenges hinder not only women’s success but also the success of organisations that fail to harness diverse talent fully.

The Way Forward: A Global Call for Conscious Leadership

What, then, is the path forward? The answer lies in conscious leadership—a leadership style that acknowledges the humanity of every employee and actively seeks to foster inclusivity. Conscious leaders recognise that advancing women is not just a women’s issue. It is a business imperative that touches every aspect of organisational health and growth.

Globally, companies must commit to long-term, data-driven approaches that prioritise women’s advancement but also challenge cultural norms that restrict it. These include fostering allyship within organisations, implementing mentorship programs that directly support women of colour and older women, and holding leaders accountable for diversity outcomes.

As we look ahead, the message is clear: without sustained commitment and innovative thinking, the path to gender parity will remain long and winding. But with conscious leadership, clear policies, and cultural change, we can make workplaces more equitable and transformative for all women, regardless of geography or age.

In the end, the true test of progress is not how quickly we advance but how deeply we embed change into the fabric of our organisations and societies. Women, and the world, deserve nothing less.