A study conducted by LeanIn.Org and McKinsey – Women in the Workplace 2017 – concludes that progress toward gender diversity is hampered by perceptions that women are better represented in leadership positions than they actually are.
The study, based on data from 222 companies employing more than 12 million people, as well as on a survey of over 70,000 employees and a series of qualitative interviews, also found that many men don’t realize the barriers women face.
Two other key findings are:
- Inequality starts at the very first promotion. This is even more dramatic for women of color.
Women are not leaving their companies at higher rates than men, and very few plan to leave the workforce to focus on family.