4 Myths About Women at Work Debunked

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To read the McKinsey & Company report on “Women in the Workplace 2023”, head here.

Myth 1: Women are becoming less ambitious.

Reality: Women are more ambitious than before the pandemic—and flexibility is fueling that ambition.

“At every stage of the pipeline, women are as committed to their careers and as interested in being promoted as men. Young women are especially ambitious. Nine in ten women under the age of 30 want to be promoted to the next level, and three in four aspire to become senior leaders.”

Myth 2: The biggest barrier to women’s advancement is the “glass ceiling”.

Reality: The “broken rung” — a hurdle at the first critical step up to manager — is the greatest obstacle women face on the path to senior leadership. 

“For the ninth consecutive year, women face their biggest hurdle at the first critical step up to manager. This year, for every 100 men promoted from entry level to manager, 87 women were promoted.”

Myth 3. Microaggressions have a “micro” impact.

Reality: Microaggressions have a large and lasting impact on women.

“Years of data show that women experience microaggressions at a significantly higher rate than men: they are twice as likely to be mistaken for someone junior and hear comments on their emotional state.”

Myth 4: It’s mostly women who want—and benefit from—flexible work.

Reality: Men and women see flexibility as a “top 3” employee benefit and critical to their company’s success.

“Most employees say that opportunities to work remotely and have control over their schedules are top company benefits, second only to healthcare. Workplace flexibility even ranks above tried-and-true benefits such as parental leave and childcare.”

Adapted from: McKinsey & Company, “Women in the Workplace 2023” by Emily Field, Alexis Krivkovich, Sandra Kügele, Nicole Robinson, and Lareina Yee