In a comprehensive survey of over 40,000 employees, we discovered that women hold 48% of entry-level positions, showcasing strong initial representation. But there are only 28% of women currently in Senior Vice President roles.

And this is an oft repeated scenario in corporates across the world. Why? Well, there’s a simple reason.

At the director level, we recognize an important challenge: the rate of female attrition is double that of promotion. For every woman director who rises to a higher position, two of her female peers choose a different path - usually to leave. 

The good news? When we create environments that encourage and support more women in leadership, they simply don’t leave. After all everyone has to earn a living………….why not retain the talent you’ve invested in over years and gain the benefits?.

 As highlighted in Forbes, "The pipeline gets narrower the higher you go. The fewer candidates, the less likelihood a woman takes the role." 

KPMG data reinforces this, showing that despite high ambition for C-Suite roles among women, the number of female Chief Executives still has room to grow.

It’s time to shift our focus from barriers to breakthroughs. 

Heres a good list to tackle:

1. While imposter syndrome has been a well-discussed challenge, with KPMG reporting that 75% of female executives have encountered it, we know that building confidence and providing more role models can empower women to reach new heights. As I often say, imposter syndrome isn’t about a lack of confidence; it’s about a lack of role models. About normalising the environment and the culture of having more women everywhere in the hierarchy.
2. But let's face hard facts too. Research from the University of Delaware suggests that women often receive less recognition for their work, even when their ideas are identical to those of their male counterparts.
3. "The No Club" (2022) reveals that women contribute, on average, 200 more hours of "non-promotable work" (and often unpaid work) annually compared to their male colleagues. And much of this is in mentoring younger women through the workplace. 
4. As women rise higher and get increased visibility, they come under much more negative scrutiny than their male counterparts. Often just because they’re female.
5. Women struggle to see a clear blueprint for success they can follow. And that makes success a hard path to follow as every women has to fight all the battles again and again in order to succeed.

Our mission at WCorp is to certify as many businesses as possible, establishing a global standard for supportive and inclusive workplaces.

Why? As we help workplaces get in place an infrastructure that helps women feel safe and supported at work, it frees them up to thrive and succeed in a better environment. 

And less women will leave. And more will rise.

If you aren’t sure how to achieve this, we are happy to help with that. In fact I see that as our primary job - managing the ‘how you do this’. 

 As more businesses achieve certification, they’ll set a powerful example for others to follow.

We invite you to join us in this transformative journey. Visit www.wcorporation.org/blog and help spread the word. Together, we can create a world where every woman has the opportunity to thrive and lead.