‘Shattering the Glass Ceiling and Climbing the Broken Rung: Empowering Women Through Sponsorship’, by Alejandra Arguelles
What continues to hinder women's progress in their professional journeys? In this article, Alejandra Arguelles, Director - CX Global Platforms Lead at Pfizer, delves into the persistent gender disparities plaguing corporate environments. Drawing from research, she highlights the difference in sponsorship opportunities between men and women, exploring the imbalance that obstructs women's access to career advancement.
Gender disparities continue to hinder women's progress in today's corporate landscape. Alarming statistics from the 2018 Women in the Workplace study conducted by LeanIn.Org and McKinsey & Company revealed that only 54% of women have sponsors, compared to 63% of men. This significant disparity in sponsorship opportunities creates an imbalance, limiting women's access to crucial support, high-visibility projects, and advancement opportunities.
A recent update to the study in 2023 highlighted a noteworthy shift in women's ambition levels, particularly in the aftermath of the pandemic. Contrary to expectations, women's ambition has actually grown. This newfound ambition is fuelled by the flexibility in work arrangements, with approximately one in five women reporting that it has enabled them to maintain their jobs or avoid reducing their hours. In addition, women in hybrid or remote setups experience reduced fatigue and burnout, face fewer microaggressions, and enjoy higher levels of psychological safety, all of which further enhance their drive to pursue career growth.
“What remains the biggest obstacle for women in their career advancement? Is it the glass ceiling or the broken rung? Are they left under sponsored?”
However, amidst these encouraging developments, a critical question arises: What remains the biggest obstacle for women in their career advancement? Is it the glass ceiling or the broken rung? Are they left under sponsored?
The Broken Rung and Glass Ceiling
According to the LeanIn.org 2023 Workplace study, the Broken Rung is identified as the most significant challenge women face on their path to senior leadership. For every 100 men promoted from entry-level to manager positions, only 87 women are promoted. This disparity at the entry level sets the stage for subsequent imbalances, with men dominating 60% of manager-level positions and women holding just 40%. Consequently, the pool of eligible women for promotion to director-level positions diminishes, perpetuating the gender gap at higher levels of leadership.
“For every 100 men promoted from entry-level to manager positions, only 87 women are promoted.”
The glass ceiling represents the invisible barriers and biases that prevent women from reaching top leadership positions despite their qualifications and capabilities. It highlights how gender stereotypes, unconscious bias, lack of representation in decision-making roles, and limited access to sponsorship and mentoring programs contribute to the perpetuation of gender inequality in the workplace.
Sponsorship Goes Further
Studies and observations indicate that women are often over-mentored and under-sponsored in the workplace. While mentorship provides emotional support, feedback, and career advice, sponsorship goes further by ensuring exposure to other executives, relevant networks, and high-visibility projects that are crucial for career growth.
Sponsors, often being senior leaders appropriately placed in the organisation for this purpose, also protect their sponsees from negative publicity.
Doing it Right
To ensure successful sponsorship, it is crucial to have formal corporate programs in place. Catalyst highlights that women who found mentors and sponsors through formal programs received more promotions than those who found them on their own, by a ratio of almost three to two. Such programs communicate clear goals and intent across the organisation, enabling the matching of mentors and sponsors with high-potential women aligned with program goals and avoiding any disconnection between corporate efforts and local management.
A successful corporate program should adopt a two-way approach. Sponsees need to be accountable for performance evaluation, training, and development plans, while sponsors should receive training on gender and leadership complexities and managing unconscious bias. Sponsors should be held accountable not only for promoting women but also for ensuring their smooth transitions into new roles.
In conclusion, the journey to shatter the glass ceiling and climb the broken rung requires a comprehensive approach that empowers women through formal corporate sponsorship programs. It is time to move beyond over-mentoring and embrace accountable sponsorship for both sexes.
“Sponsorship is not a transactional relationship; it's about investing in someone's potential and helping them soar to new heights.” - Indra Nooyi
Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this post are solely my own and do not reflect the views or positions of my employer. I am sharing my personal thoughts and perspectives on this subject matter. My intention is to contribute to meaningful discussions and engage with the professional community. Any resemblance to the views or positions of my employer is purely coincidental.
