Overview
- Women now report lower interest in promotion than men, with 80% of women versus 86% of men saying they want the next level and a 69% versus 80% gap at entry level.
- Only 54% of employers say women’s career advancement is a priority and just 46% say the same for women of color, with roughly one in six cutting DEI budgets.
- Entry-level women are less likely to have a sponsor than men (31% versus 45%), and the report notes that sponsorship can nearly double promotion rates.
- Ambition trends vary by age, as women under 30 outpace young men in promotion desire while interest drops after 40; personal and family obligations are cited more by women (about 25%) than men (15%).
- The findings draw on a company survey of 124 organizations covering about 3 million employees and a separate survey of roughly 9,500 professionals, with authors and commentators pointing to return-to-office policies, political pushback on DEI, and cultural pressures as contributing factors.