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yesterday

Corporate Support for Women Recedes as Report Finds First-Ever Ambition Gap, Rising Burnout

Leaders urge targeted employer actions to prevent a reversal of decade-long gains.

Women appear to be penalized more than men for working remotely, the McKinsey/Lean In report finds.
Just over half of companies participating in the 2025 Women in the Workplace report said they place a high priority on women's career advancement, while one in five say they don't prioritize it.
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Overview

  • Only 54% of companies now highly prioritize women’s advancement, dropping to 46% for women of color, as some reduce DEI, sponsorship, and flexible-work programs.
  • The study identifies a first-time ambition gap: 80% of women want a promotion versus 86% of men, with the widest gaps at entry (69% vs. 80%) and senior levels (84% vs. 92%), a difference that disappears when support matches men’s.
  • Promotion and advocacy disparities persist, with just 93 women promoted for every 100 men and fewer entry-level women having sponsors (31% vs. 45%), despite sponsorship nearly doubling promotion odds.
  • Remote and flexible work carry a disproportionate penalty for women, whose sponsorship and promotion rates fall sharply when working mostly off-site, while men’s outcomes shift far less by location.
  • Burnout among senior women is at a five-year high, with about 60% reporting frequent burnout and newer leaders especially strained, including 70% reporting burnout and 81% concerned about job security.