Why Professional Women Still Struggle to Climb the Corporate Ladder in 2025

In 2025, despite all the progress in workplace diversity and gender equality, professional women across the U.S. still face a critical and often invisible challenge: the “broken rung.” It’s the moment in the corporate ladder where women are first passed over for promotion to manager — and it’s derailing careers before they even begin to take off.

What Is the Broken Rung?

Coined by McKinsey & LeanIn.org, the term “broken rung” refers to the first critical step from entry-level roles to managerial positions — and it’s where women fall behind men at an alarming rate. Without this foundational step, fewer women advance to leadership roles, creating a persistent gender gap at every subsequent level.

📉 The Current Numbers (2025):

• For every 100 men promoted to manager:

  • Only 89 White women

  • 99 Asian women

  • 54 Black women

  • 65 Latinas are promoted.

These disparities are not just numbers — they represent missed opportunities, systemic bias, and talent left untapped.

Why This Matters for Businesses

Companies cannot achieve true diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) without addressing the first promotion gap. When women are left behind at the beginning of their leadership journey, it limits the pipeline of future female executives and board members.

In fact, companies with more women in management roles have:

• Higher employee satisfaction

• Increased innovation

• Better financial performance

Ignoring the broken rung means stalling not only gender progress but business growth itself.

What’s Causing the Promotion Gap?

Several factors contribute to the broken rung, including:

1. Unconscious bias in performance reviews and promotion decisions

2. Lack of access to mentors and sponsors for women early in their careers

3. Overemphasis on leadership traits traditionally associated with men, like assertiveness or aggression

4. Work-life balance concerns, especially for mothers or caregivers

How Can We Fix the Broken Rung?

Companies serious about supporting professional women must:

• Track promotion data by gender and race

• Invest in mentorship and sponsorship programs for early-career women

• Revamp evaluation criteria to reward inclusive leadership styles

• Offer leadership development opportunities before management roles open

• Ensure transparency in promotion processes and criteria

Final Thoughts: The Climb Should Be Fair

If we want to see more women in boardrooms, CEO roles, and C-suites in the future, we must fix the first step that’s holding them back.

The broken rung may not be visible to everyone — but its impact is felt by millions of women every day. Let’s build better ladders, stronger structures, and a truly equitable future for all.