EDITOR’S PICK

Women Still Facing Career Obstacles

It may be 2023, but when it comes to women executives and their careers, some of the attitudes they face may be more reminiscent of 1883. According to McKinsey’s Women in the Workplace 2022 report, the problem exists early on in women’s careers. While 60% of men transition from entry level to first-level management, only 40% of women do the same. For every 100 men who are promoted from entry-level roles to manager positions, only 87 women are promoted and only 82 women of color are promoted, with only 1 in 20 C-suite executives being a woman of color. 

In its own poll of executives, AMA has found that women do not feel supported in their careers. For example, compared with 67% of men surveyed, less than half of the women surveyed (49%) believed their companies provided enough training. When asked if they agree that their manager supports their career growth, while 72% of men said yes, only 57% of women agreed. And in looking at their career paths, 49% of women said they were unclear, compared with just 35% of the men surveyed. 

Liz Landon, the chief people officer of Fishawack Health, a global healthcare commercialization organization, writes about some of the ways her company is addressing challenges women face in “Helping Today’s Female Employees Become Tomorrow’s CEOs.” According to Landon, “Our leaders emphasize that it is not enough to simply give women the same opportunities as their male counterparts. Companies should develop personalized career pathways aimed at breaking down barriers from decades of disparity. Today, the most forward-thinking organizations have professional development programs in place to entice and retain recent graduates, support and sustain mid-career employees, and encourage experienced individuals to transition to leadership roles.” 

AMA and MCE are committed to providing the kind of training and support that companies can use to help women, including women of color, advance in ways comparable to their male counterparts. Our research-based, proven resources can help you build engagement today and be ready for the future.