2018 is shaping up to be the year of gender equality, with Iceland leading the transformation by requiring all companies to enforce equal pay for all workers. However, a recent study shows that these strides are being hindered in the United States because employees have gotten used to the status quo and don't feel there is any urgency for change.
Recently, LeanIn.org and McKinsey & Company teamed up to release its third annual study highlighting women in the workplace. The study, Women in the Workplace 2017, sought to uncover what is needed to promote women into leadership roles and foster gender equality in all workplaces.
Women in the Workplace 2017 is a comprehensive study of the state of women in corporate America. The research was compiled from 222 companies employing more than 12 million people. These companies shared their pipeline data to help complete this survey of HR practices. In addition, more than 70,000 employees completed a survey designed to explore their experiences regarding gender, opportunity, career, and work/life issues.
The study found that many employees think women are well represented in leadership when they see only a few. In fact, the study found that only one in five women hold positions at the C-suite level. The study speculates that we (as a collective whole) have gotten comfortable with the status quo and that many do not feel any urgency for change.
Furthermore, many men think that women are represented fairly, when the opposite appears to be true. The study found that men are more likely to think the workplace is equitable, but women see a workplace that is less fair and offers less support, with only 39% of females saying their company treats people fairly, compared to 47% of men.
According to 63% of men, they think their companies are doing a pretty good job supporting diversity, but 23% of women say there could be more room for improvement. The study indicates that given the persistent lag in women's advancement, women may have the more accurate view.
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