Sheryl Sandberg's Lean In finds 'ambition gap' in survey first: Fewer women want promotions

Core Insights - The latest Women in the Workplace report from Lean In and McKinsey & Company indicates a significant decline in women's interest in promotions compared to men, marking a troubling trend for 2025 [2][3] Group 1: Promotion Interest Disparity - For the first time in a decade, fewer women than men are interested in promotions, with only 69% of entry-level women and 82% of mid-career women expressing a desire to advance, compared to 80% and 86% of men respectively [2] - The ambition gap has widened, with 81% of both men and women interested in promotions in 2023, but only 93% of women under 30 showing ambition [3] Group 2: Workplace Support and Resources - Lean In attributes the ambition gap to a lack of support and resources for women, including less advocacy from managers, which affects their promotion prospects [4] - When women receive the same career support as men, the ambition gap in seeking promotions disappears [4] Group 3: Workforce Participation Trends - The number of working women has decreased by about 500,000 this year, while the number of men has increased by nearly 400,000, indicating a concerning trend in workforce participation [5] - Labor force participation among women aged 25 to 44 with children under 5 fell by approximately 3% from January to June 2023 [6] Group 4: Impact of Remote Work and Childcare - Women working from home due to childcare responsibilities risk becoming invisible in their jobs, receiving less feedback and mentorship, and facing lower promotion rates compared to their male counterparts [7] - Stricter return-to-office mandates and rising childcare costs have led many women to reduce hours or leave their jobs, contributing to what some researchers call "The Great Exit" [6] Group 5: Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Efforts - Despite 88% of companies claiming to prioritize inclusive cultures, only 54% have committed to programs for women's career enhancement, and 48% for advancing women of color [9] - One-fifth of surveyed companies reported no specific support for promoting women in their careers [9] Group 6: Economic Implications - Neglecting women's participation in the workforce is viewed as a dangerous economic choice, with potential GDP growth of 4.2% if women's workforce participation in the U.S. matched that of other wealthy countries [12] - The correlation between a country's wealth and women's workforce participation is highlighted, emphasizing the need for competitive economic strategies [12]