As business leaders attempt to wrangle the current and future effects of artificial intelligence on the workplace, gender equity remains a critical issue that doesn’t always get the attention and commitment it deserves. But gender equity in the workplace affects well-being, climbing the corporate ladder, and retention. So, how do companies respond to this ongoing challenge beyond performative gestures?
The Women in the Workplace Report from McKinsey & Company and the advocacy group Lean In is in its 11th year, and is the largest study of women in corporate America in the U.S. and Canada, featuring 124 participating companies employing over three million employees and approximately 10,000 survey participants. To create a space to share insights from the report, the Johns Hopkins Carey Business School’s Gender & Work Initiative and Human Capital Development Lab hosted an event in January 2026, featuring a presentation for sharing key takeaways from the report and engaging a panel of experts for a discussion.
“The Gender & Work Initiative’s goal for the event was to create a space where leaders, practitioners, researchers, and thought leaders could engage directly with the authors of the most comprehensive research on women's workplace experiences over the past 11 years,” said David Smith, co-director of the Gender & Work Initiative and professor of practice at Carey Business School.
Closing the gender gap requires intentional action and commitment from leaders and support from managers. This effort begins with a shared understanding of the challenges facing women in the workplace. The evidence shows women are underrepresented at every stage of leadership, with less than 1-in-3 C-suite executives being women. And although this is an improvement—11 years ago, the data showed only 17% of women were C-suite executives—the change has been slow. Additionally, the report identifies an issue called “The Broken Rung,” which highlights the lack of promotion rates from entry-level to managerial. According to the report, even in a year with an overrepresentation of “good actor” companies in women’s representation, only 93 women are promoted for every 100 men promoted to manager.
“This research highlights the importance of creating career support across all employee groups in a way that fosters an inclusive culture for all employees.” Rick Smith, director of the Human Capital Development Lab and professor of practice at Carey Business School.
Bringing men into the conversation and pushing for institutional commitment
According to the panelists, advancing gender fairness in the workplace relies on men as well as women. To gain significant footholds within company culture, initiatives that support gender fairness need commitment from men at the managerial level. However, men may not recognize barriers still in place for women, because they don’t have the same lived experience.
“How do we message men? When they see ‘gender’ they think ‘That’s for women, I don’t have a role, I don’t need to show up,’” said panelist, Brad Johnson, a former professor of psychology in the Department of Leadership at the U.S. Naval Academy.
When businesses normalize career support for women, the gaps in fairness begin to disappear, moving toward a leveling of the playing field. The Women in the Workplace Report shows that women aren’t lacking in ambition but instead lack the support structures that match their career ambition.
"The finding that women are equally ambitious when they receive equal sponsorship was both sobering and hopeful,” said Colleen Stuart, co-director of Gender & Work Initiative and associate professor at Carey Business School. “The problem isn't a lack of desire—it's a lack of investment in women's careers. This is precisely why this work is so critical, and why we convened this event.”
Closing the ambition gap is more about clarity regarding roles and expectations around the promotion process than about ambition. While this is not exactly a gendered issue, the lack of clarity proves to affect women more. For example, sponsorship from managers and leaders doubles the odds of promotion for everyone, but women are less likely to be sponsored at any level in their professional lives. Without a clear path or systems that promote sponsorship, this becomes an uphill battle. To navigate the systems that haven’t addressed these gaps in support, panelists suggested three practical steps to help women in the workplace build clarity: find a sponsor, create a shared agreement with your manager around expectations and performances, and be aware of opportunities to advocate for yourself. While these practical steps can help women navigate the workplace, they still put the responsibility completely on women even though the lack of support is institutional.
“Too many organizations are still leaving women’s potential on the table,” said Mary Noble-Tolla, Ph.D., principal of research and writing at Lean In. “Companies that make a real commitment to women’s advancement don’t just strengthen fairness and inclusion; they build stronger pipelines, retain top talent, and improve long-term performance. Supporting women's careers isn't just the right thing to do; it's good business.”
To address these gaps in gender fairness, companies need to commit to systematic changes, requiring buy-in from men within these companies. This vital step toward creating fair workplaces for women is more than a just women’s issue.
