Clarico Reacts: Women in the Workplace 2025 McKinsey Report
Clarico Reacts is a series where we publish our thoughts on new publications and content relevant to our favorite topic - People at Work. This post looks at the latest Women in the Workplace report from McKinsey and LeanIn.Org. The full report is available to download and read here.
The report makes for interesting yet stark reading. The report distills information gathered from 124 organisations employing approximately 3 million people in corporate America., Whilst the policitical and social context of corporate America is critical context, the findings are still relevant worldwide (particularly in Ireland where over 9% of our workforce are employed by American organisations). The ripple effect of decisions and practices of American employers cannot be ignored. Our reaction to this report initially was disappointment. We were disappointed to read that progress that has been made in supporting women in the workforce has stalled or indeed regressed. What we do see in this report though, is opportunity. Opportunity for employers to step up and lead the charge in reshaping how we support women in the workforce. Supporting women in the workplace has benefits far beyond directly benefiting female employees, it can also benefit other minority groups and ultimately positively impact wider society.
Below are some of the report’s key findings that stood out to us at Clarico.
Declining Commitment to Supporting Women
“This year, only half of companies are prioritizing women’s career advancement, part of a several-year trend in declining commitment to gender diversity.”
“Women still face an uneven playing field, with less career support and fewer opportunities to advance.”
The entire report can probably be summarised by the line that there is a declining commitment to support women. This would be understandable if we could look at the report and say this is warranted because a parity between men and women in the workforce has been achieved but alas this is not the case. The report highlights that women are provided with less opportunity to advance and less support from “sponsors”. Women are not encouraged in the same way as their male counterparts and are not nurtured, trained or developed. This is fundamental discrimination that then becomes embedded into not only the workforce but society. It is extremely worrying to see the statistics that blatantly expose direct discrimination towards women in work in 2025.
The Odds are Stacked Against Entry-Level Women
“Entry-level women miss out on key opportunities. … And are less likely to receive promotions.”
“Entry-level women may be limited by less exposure to AI.”
Women at entry level face a whole compliment of challenges when it comes to progression in the workforce. They also seem to be more sceptical and cynical about the impact of AI on their roles but is this perhaps because women are (consciously or otherwise) aware of the bias they face in the workplace every day just by virtue of their gender. Can they be forgiven for thinking AI is waiting to replace them as they already feel less valued by their male colleagues? There are many critical junctures in an employee’s working life but the beginning is one of the most critical of all. Neglecting women at this stage in their career can be futile.
Senior-Level Women are Under Supported and Under Developed
“Senior-level women get less fundamental career support… Women in leadership receive less consistent support from their managers…and are less likely to receive training opportunities …Men at their level are far more likely to be offered the chance to participate in leadership or career training—at a time when it can be critical for their progression.”
There can often be a presumption that those who have reached “the top” have everything figured out. They have completed the journey successfully, arrived at their destination, they have seen it all! This couldn’t be further from the truth. Being perceived as being at the top can be everything but comfortable, it is a critical time to support someone and also continuously train tand develop their competencies to ensure they are equipt with the necessary skills for their role. At senior levels women generally manage a huge amount of professional responsibility as well as personal responsibilities. These women also need to inspire and demonstrate potential and opportunity to junior women who are following their path. Their web of responsibilities is huge and can easily become tangled when women in these positions are not correctly supported and are presumed to just have everything under control. Supporting and training senior women is critical.
“The Ambition Gap”
“Women and men at all levels are very committed to their jobs. But there is a notable gap in desire to advance.”
“..Almost 25 percent of …women who are not interested in promotion say that personal obligations make it hard to take on additional work—versus just 15 percent of comparable men”.
One of the report’s key messages is that there is a visible “ambition gap” between men and women. The report stipulates that women have less of a desire to advance. The report explores some reasons behind this gap. Women shouldering the bulk of home and familial responsibilities is a significant factor. The report also interestingly highlights that women are disproportionately effected by “Flexibility Stigma”. When women use flexible work arrangements, coworkers often assume they are less engaged and productive, while men’s commitment is taken for granted.
What Next?
The report highlights a number of critical issues but the key question is what can we do to tackle them? How can we start to make a change? Why should we make a change?
Supporting women in the workplace is not only an ethically driven responsibility but also has proven quantifiable strategic business benefits. By addressing gender disparity organisations create more inclusive cultures where all employees and the business as a whole, can thrive. By implementing effective employee support, organisations can boost innovation, improve financial performance, retain and attract top talent and create a diverse, adaptable future-proofed organization.
What practices can employers adopt to increase their commitment to women? The report helpfully makes some recommendations in terms of best practices including;
Treat gender diversity as a high organisational priority;
Ensure company leadership is focused on and held accountable for fostering diversity and inclusion; and
Establish clear and fair criteria for hiring and promotions and ensure those involved in recruitment processes are trained on and aware of bias
These best practices are common at high-performing companies.
Clarico also has further practical recommendations. In 2026, Clarico can partner with you as an individual or an employer to support you in the workplace. You can consider the below recommendations and if you think you would like to implement any of them feel free to get in touch with Clarico today via our contact form or email hello@claricocoaching.com
Continuous Training & Capability Development: Employees at all levels should be trained and continuously developed when it comes to developing the capability of driving their careers. This can look different to different people at different levels but ultimately the principles remain the same. Furthermore, those in managerial positions should be equipt to support their employees career development. Read more about the training & development offering at Clarico here.
Establish support/mentoring programmes: Where an organisation commits to creating a formal mentoring or sponsorship program this can have numerous benefits including improved employee culture, the creation of employee support networks and creation of opportunities for employees at various levels. It is also a way to enable participants to develop their skills on the job. To talk to Clarico about establishing a program please get in touch with our HR Consultancy service.
Support women at critical junctures in their careers such as going on and returning from maternity leave: Coaching can benefit all those involved in an employee going on/returning from maternity leave. It can clarify expectations and support those involved. It is proven to make the transition to and from leave a lot more seamless. If this isn’t offered by your employer it is something you can also pursue yourself. Get in contact with Clarico Coaching for individuals here and employers here.
Take a birds eye view of roles and impartially establish if and how these roles can be performed flexibly: Some roles can potentially be amended to be performed flexibly and doing so can help to retain and attract top talent. Clarico’s HR Consultancy or Coaching service can greatly assist with this.
Partnering with Clarico is an effective way of supporting not just women (right through from entry to senior level) at work but your entire organisation. Clarico’s services can be tailored to your specific needs.
A fair and inclusive workplace ensures employees are motivated and driven, they bring innovation and creativity to the table and in turn tend to have a longer, valuable tenure. Improved morale in the workplace can drive overall company performance. When people feel valued and supported they are perform at their best. Valuing and supporting women in the workplace is an excellent place to start in 2026 when it comes to optimizing your organisation and empowering your people.
Read the Women in the Workplace 2025 report in full here.