Pipeline issues in gender equality initiatives

It's not the pipeline, It's the System. June 23rd is celebrated as 'International Women in Engineering Day" #INWED Sadly the harsh reality, engineering colleges in India produce the highest number of women in STEM graduates/engineers and many of them actually do make it to the workforce. The real challenge is their retention and progression. With 2+ decades in tech and now consulting for tech companies on their Gender Equity Strategy, I’ve seen this challenge firsthand. The issue isn’t talent availability, it’s systemic. In most households, a woman’s career is still seen as optional. That mindset and bias bleeds into workplaces, shaping how women are hired, retained, and promoted. So what can organisations do, 1. Relook at org culture and design. Are your systems, policies, and leadership norms built equitably to support who stays, rises and how. 2. Representation matters, especially in especially in mid and senior levels, invest in retention and have hiring goals across grades. 3. Move from gendered to gender neutral policies. Eg. Maternity to Parental Leave Policy that supports all care-givers. Reframe workplace policies from “women-centric benefits” to equitable caregiving support that normalise shared responsibility and reduce bias. 4. Women in Tech Returnee programs - I've seen immense success in these programs, that offer companies experienced tech talent with a little investment. #Vapasi from Thoughtworks, #Spring from Publicis Sapient are two examples 5. Conduct Stay Interviews, Not Exit Interviews. Understand why women leave and what it takes for them to stay and grow and act on the inputs. 3. A Clear Career Progression Path with mentorship and sponsorship - Bias in growth opportunity for #WIT is real, if there is no intentional support to overcome these bias, talent walks away. 4. I Need to See More Like Me! There is a lack of role models. Accelerated Women in tech leadership programs, fast-tracking the leadership journey of high potential women are some ways to address this. 5. Collective Ownership. Gender Diversity in tech is not a HR, leadership or DEI responsibility. Make it the very fabric of the org. to drive shared accountability. 6. Data is not just diagnostic, it's directional. It guides us on investments to be made, unseen bias and where and what needs to change, it's your mirror don't ignore it. #Inclusion is a organisational capability and leaders are it's torch bearers. Their actions, direction and decisions every single day, signal what truly matters. The Women in tech, talent pool exists. The question is, are you ready to retain, grow, and lead with them? #WomenInTech #WIT #GenderEquity #DiversityInTech Diversity Simplified Image description: A newspaper article titled “It’s Not the Pipeline, It’s the System” from Times of India, Bangalore edition which highlights the gender gap in engineering.

Women are breaking into the C-suite, but the leadership pipeline is leaking—it’s time we fixed it. Hello Friday. Over the last decade, we’ve witnessed tangible progress for women in corporate leadership, with nearly 30% of C-suite positions now held by women. Yet, the latest Women in the Workplace 2024 report from McKinsey & Company and Lean In reminds us how fragile these gains are. Beneath the surface, the leadership pipeline is not as strong as it seems—particularly for women of color. Alarmingly, the report projects it will take another 50 years to reach full parity for women in corporate America at the current pace. The research also shows a troubling disconnect between the policies companies have implemented and the lived experiences of women at work. Yes, more organizations have formalized initiatives to support women and foster inclusion, but these efforts have not yet translated into day-to-day improvements. The status quo is still persistent: women’s experiences in the workplace are shockingly similar to what they were several years ago. As we’ve discussed, women are also disproportionately affected by burnout, which is being compounded by policies like return-to-office mandates. Many women, especially working mothers, rely on flexible working arrangements to balance their careers with caregiving responsibilities. As companies push for more in-office work, burnout risks intensify, further hindering women’s ability to advance in their careers. In the face of these trends, what’s most concerning is the decline in corporate commitment to diversity at a time when companies should be doubling down. As organizations grapple with economic headwinds, diversity efforts are often the first to be scaled back—just when women, and especially women of color, need more support to break through systemic barriers. Here’s the truth: Progress without sustained action will backslide. As the report highlights, women are still ambitious and committed to their careers. Now, it’s on companies to meet that ambition with an equally steadfast commitment to change. This is not just a moral imperative; it’s a business one. Companies that cultivate diverse leadership are proven to be more innovative, agile, and successful. It’s time for organizations to commit fully to culture-driven change—because if we don’t act now, we risk losing the momentum we’ve built, and with it critical talent, creativity, and innovation. Full report: https://lnkd.in/e4RqMRpD? #HelloFriday #Leadership #WomenInLeadership #Equity #DiversityAndInclusion #WomenInTheWorkplace #BusinessStrategy #WorkplaceCulture #HumanCenteredLeadership

🚁 From the cockpit to the C-suite: Just received the latest McKinsey & Company report on Women in the Workplace, and the findings hit close to home. Having navigated male-dominated military spaces and corporate boardrooms, these insights resonate deeply. Progress at the Top, Stalled in the Middle: More women are reaching C-suite positions, marking a high-altitude success. However, the pipeline in middle management remains clogged. Clearing that runway is crucial for sustained progress. The Broken Rung Persists: For every 100 men promoted to manager, only 81 women follow suit, with even fewer opportunities for women of color. This mirrors challenges with promotion of women in the military (early ranks are time based) to O-4 and O-5. Manager Support is Still Lacking: Insufficient support from managers, especially for women of color, hinders their promotion prospects. Addressing this issue is vital for fostering a more inclusive workplace. Ageism Disproportionally Affects Women: Women under 30 are twice as likely as men to face age-related comments. Combatting ageism across all age groups is imperative for creating a fairer work environment. Shifting focus: Companies are deprioritizing programs supporting women's development and advancement - this will result in mission problems down the road. Leaders, take action: Senior leaders, assess your promotion pipelines to ensure gender diversity at all levels. Middle managers, actively mentor and sponsor women in your teams for their career growth. Inform yourself on continued bias, and put systems in place to address it. To allies, your support is not just appreciated; it's crucial for mission success. Remember, diversity is a force multiplier. Leveraging talent regardless of gender propels us higher, faster, and farther together. What's your take on the report? How are you advancing women in your organization? Join the conversation below! 👇 #WomenInLeadership #GenderEquality #WorkplaceEquity #FromCockpitToBoardroom #BreakingBarriers

The leadership pipeline problem exists across industries for women. One of the biggest—and often overlooked—challenges in leadership is how we prepare leaders for the top jobs. That’s the leadership pipeline. And across industries, that pipeline is skewed in ways that limit the impact of transformational women leaders. In education leadership, the pathway to superintendent roles is shaped by critical experiences in finance, operations, and budget management. Yet, our Women Leading Ed National Insight Survey found that just 1 in 20 women leaders had access to these career-defining opportunities. This isn’t unique to education. A new Spencer Stuart report highlights a strikingly similar trend in corporate leadership: Early P&L (profit & loss) responsibility is a key differentiator for those who rise to CEO positions. Leaders who are entrusted with financial decision-making early in their careers are seen as ready for the top—yet for too many women, these opportunities come too late, if at all. This raises a fundamental question: Are we developing leaders with the right experiences to take on the highest levels of responsibility? If finance and operations are prerequisites for superintendency, we need to rethink how we are equipping leaders along the way. The real challenge isn’t just about who is in the pipeline—it’s about what experiences they are gaining once they’re there. If we want to ensure the strongest leadership in our schools, we need to be more intentional about how we build that bench. (Cc The Forum for Educational Leadership) https://lnkd.in/eMYyv2ia

Gender equity isn’t about hiring more women. It’s about fixing the systems that hold them back. Companies often say they support equity, but when it comes to real accountability? That’s where things fall apart. If you’re serious about change, here’s where to start: Fix Leadership Pipelines – If women are leaving before they reach leadership, the problem isn’t them—it’s the system. Identify where they drop off and why. End the ‘One-Size-Fits-All’ Workplace – Women, especially mothers and caregivers, are often penalized for needing flexibility. Create policies that support ALL employees—without stigma. Eliminate ‘Culture Fit’ Bias – Too often, hiring managers reject candidates because they "don’t fit." What they really mean is, ‘They don’t look like us.’ Shift hiring to focus on skills and potential. Fix Feedback & Performance Reviews – Women receive less actionable feedback and more personality-based criticism than men. Train managers to give growth-focused, skill-based evaluations. Make Retention a Priority – Hiring women is one thing—keeping them is another. Track who’s leaving and why. If high-potential women are leaving at higher rates, dig into what’s driving them out. Gender equity isn’t a PR strategy. It’s a business strategy. Companies that get this right retain top talent, drive innovation, and outperform those that don’t. Download the full checklist below. What’s one thing companies get wrong about gender equity? Let’s discuss. #InternationalWomensMonth #FixTheSystem #GenderEquity #WorkplaceInclusion

Only 1 in 4 senior leadership roles globally are held by women. This is a significant issue we need to address. Although equal numbers of women and men enter the workforce, far fewer women enter leadership roles. Why is this happening, and what can we do about it? Here is a real story. (Names changed to preserve anonymity) 📍The beginning Swathi was an ambitious young professional who started her career after business school. She quickly progressed and earned a management role by her late 20s. She was on the fast track to head her department, but then, she became pregnant. 📍The pause She took the standard maternity leave. Soon after her leave ended, she came back to work, but - The inflexible hours - Always-on work culture Made the transition extremely hard. 📍Pause continued.. It clashed with her new life as a mom. She felt torn, being unable to do justice to her role at work, and her role as a mother. Eventually, her physical and mental health began to take a toll. 📍Hard stop Swathi’s husband, Vijay, decided to see if he could contribute more at home, but found this flexibility difficult to get at his workplace as he’d already had paternity leave. Eventually, both of them decided that the stress and sacrifice required in her role was too high, and it would be best if she took a break for another few years, just until their child could start going to day-care at 2. 📍The truth Swathi’s story is all too common. The biggest loss of women from the leadership pipeline happens in the middle, when they take time off for childcare and find the path back filled with obstacles. This 'leaky pipeline' funnels out female talent and leaves leadership ranks dominated by men. Here is what’s actually happening: ✅ The issue is not just about maternity leave. In many ways, the workplace is still set up for a male-dominated, 9-5 environment, one that was the norm in the 80s and 90s. The one where the man went to work and the woman stayed at home to manage the household. This isn’t working anymore, for men or women. ✅We need more flexible mainstream work options for both women and men to share caregiving and stay in the game. However flexibility can take many forms: - Job shares - Remote work - Flex hours/days, etc. - Part-time work to ease women back into the workforce, transitioning to full-time when they are ready, like Pavithra did at Leadle. This does not benefit only the women; it is a massive advantage for the companies offering this flexibility- as anyone who has met Pavithra at Leadle knows. This kind of talent simply cannot languish at home. The bottom-line is this- We need to normalize flexibility as a mainstream way of working open to all. What other creative solutions could companies adopt? Share your thoughts below! #GenderEquality #WomenInLeadership #FlexibleWork #WorkLifeBalance #MaternityLeave #CareerGrowth #WomenEmpowerment

We keep calling it a talent crisis. But maybe it’s a design crisis. In 2024, women made up 41.2% of the global workforce — and that’s real progress. In infrastructure alone, we saw a jump of nearly 9 percentage points. Momentum is real. But here's the catch: 💡 Women dominate education and healthcare 💡 They’re outperforming men at tertiary level globally 💡 And still, only 29.5% of tertiary-educated senior managers are women We’re literally training women for leadership—and then benching them. From 2015 to 2024, women in top management rose just 2.4 percentage points. And since 2022? Progress is stalling. The pipeline is broken. Mid-level promotions aren’t keeping up. And the care economy? Still underleveraged. 📉 Women are 55% more likely to take career breaks 📉 Those breaks are often 6+ months longer than men’s 📉 And we still treat that like an individual problem, not a system flaw Here’s the shift builders need to make: 1️⃣ Rebuild the ramp — Mid-career re-entry isn’t a “perk.” It’s strategy. Especially in high-growth sectors. 2️⃣ Invest in care infrastructure — Because no serious growth company penalizes parenthood. 3️⃣ Make equity operational — Gender parity isn’t a social issue. It’s your innovation edge. You don’t have to do this for optics. Do it for resilience, talent retention, and future-proof leadership. If you’re building systems, products, or companies — this is your opportunity to design it right. Because if we’re training women for the future, why aren’t we promoting them into it? Let’s stop waiting. #JustTransition #FutureOfWork #InclusiveLeadership #GenderEquity #TalentDesign #CareEconomy #Builders #KaleidoscopeThinking #WorkforceStrategy #ResilientTeams