Women face difficulties in reaching leadership positions in the workplace, despite having better qualifications and higher graduation rates than men worldwide. One of the main reasons for this disparity lies in the traditional role assigned to women as caregivers of the home and family. In Mexico, for example, nearly 80% of those dedicated to caregiving are women, who spend three times more time than men on unpaid labor.
The inequality in promotion opportunities is not due to a lack of capability or performance from women, but to factors such as the additional time they spend without being promoted, which affects their economic independence. This situation creates a funnel that limits women's advancement to leadership positions, economically relegating them and making it difficult to accumulate wealth or savings for retirement.
With the gender gap marked by a wage disparity of 15% according to IMCO in Mexico, there is a clear need to address this issue. The influence of personal life, as observed in a Harvard Business School study indicating that married men have significant advantages, contributes to maintaining this gap.
In a broader landscape, the Global Gender Gap Report 2024 from the World Economic Forum indicates that at least 134 years will be needed to achieve gender parity if significant changes are not implemented. In light of this reality, the importance of taking radical measures to accelerate progress towards gender equity across all sectors is highlighted.
Recently, three 'Senior Partners' from McKinsey & Company, recognized as some of the most influential women in the business world, launched the book 'The Broken Rung.' In this work, they analyze the situations in which women lag behind men in the workplace. According to the study presented in the book, for every 100 men who receive their first promotion, only 81 women have the same opportunity.
It is clear that there are barriers hindering women's advancement in the workplace, and it is imperative to adopt profound changes to promote equal opportunities and ensure a more equitable future for all individuals, regardless of their gender.
