Report: Women backsliding in corporate America
Lean In and McKinsey released a new survey Tuesday of about 9,500 professionals finding women are losing ground at U.S. companies, with a first‑time ambition gap versus men and fewer HR leaders prioritizing women’s advancement. The report cites rollback of DEI efforts and tighter return‑to‑office mandates as contributing factors, and includes remarks from Lean In founder Sheryl Sandberg and cofounder Rachel Thomas.
📌 Key Facts
- Survey of ~9,500 professionals found 80% of women want a promotion vs 86% of men; at entry level 69% of women vs 80% of men
- Only 54% of HR respondents say women’s advancement is a priority (46% for women of color), down from 88% of companies in 2017
- Authors point to DEI pullbacks and return‑to‑office policies as drivers; Lean In and McKinsey produced the report
📊 Relevant Data
In 2024, women represent 29% of C-suite positions in corporate America, with White women at 22% and women of color at 7%, while White men hold 56%.
Women in the Workplace 2024 report — McKinsey
As of 2023, the U.S. labor force is 76% White, 12.8% Black or African American, 18.8% Hispanic or Latino, and 6.9% Asian, but Black representation in senior management is only 5%.
Black Representation in Corporate, Academia & Nonprofits — Diversity.com
Turnover for women under return-to-office policies is three times higher than for men, with mothers of young children experiencing the highest labor force participation drop from near 80% in 2023 to 77% in 2025.
Return-To-Office Mandates Are The New Glass Ceiling — Forbes
The gender gap in executive promotions occurs partially because women are clustered in support positions rather than positions with profit-and-loss responsibilities.
The gender gap in executive promotions — ScienceDirect
In 2023, women accounted for 46% of all managers in the U.S., up from 29% in 1980, but still below the 49% share of all workers who are women.
Women are a rising share of U.S. managers and professionals — Pew Research Center
📊 Analysis & Commentary (1)
"An opinion critique arguing that recent rollbacks of DEI and workplace accommodations—documented in the 'Women backsliding in corporate America' report—amount to a quiet, de‑facto affirmative‑action shift favoring men that risks reversing women’s gains in the workplace."