A new study has examined the struggles women face in gaining senior leadership roles in corporate America, finding that the metaphorical “glass ceiling” is not solely to blame but also the “broken rung.”
The study comes from the consulting firm McKinsey & Co. and Lean In, a nonprofit started by former Meta Chief Operating Officer Sheryl Sandberg.
Researchers examined the “broken rung,” or the failure to secure promotion out of entry-level positions, finding that for every 100 men promoted from their entry-level jobs, only 87 women receive similar promotions.
When it comes to women of color, the study found that only 73 receive their first promotion for every 100 men.
For years, the glass ceiling has been seen as the reason women weren’t receiving higher-level positions, but the study is one of the first to suggest that the problems start lower down the professional ladder.
The study was paired with a survey of 27,000 workers and found that women have the same goals for moving forward in their careers as their male counterparts.
In total, 96% of women said their career was important to them, and 81% wanted to be promoted to the next level this year. Both figures were in line with what men aspired to as well.
Still, bias seems to be at play, with corporate leaders often promoting young male employees over their female counterparts. The study suggests that the men are judged on potential, while the women are judged by their track records.
Rachel Thomas, the CEO of Lean In, spoke with CBS News about the study and the cultural aspect behind it.
“Social science would tell you that gender bias, and bias around what a leader looks like, all of that is much more likely to creep in when employees have shorter track records,” Thomas told the outlet.
While Thomas says eliminating the glass ceiling may seem easier, with the pipeline being smaller at the top, the broken rung is a much more complex issue.
However, she noted that it needs to be addressed to unlock more opportunities for women at a time when only 28% of those in C-suite roles are female.