Broken Rung for Women in the Workplace – Asrar Qureshi’s Blog Post #1106

Broken Rung for Women in the Workplace – Asrar Qureshi’s Blog Post #1106

Dear Colleagues! This is Asrar Qureshi’s Blog Post #1106 for Pharma Veterans. Pharma Veterans Blogs are published by Asrar Qureshi on its dedicated site https://pharmaveterans.com. Please email to pharmaveterans2017@gmail.com  for publishing your contributions here.

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Preamble

The journey of professional advancement is rarely linear, especially for women. Despite strides in education and employment, one stubborn barrier continues to hinder women’s rise in the workplace: the broken rung. This metaphorical broken step on the career ladder represents the first critical promotion from entry-level roles to management—and it is where women’s progress often falters.

In their insightful book, *The Broken Rung: When the Career Ladder Breaks for Women—and How They Can Succeed in Spite of It*, McKinsey senior partners Kweilin Ellingrud, Lareina Yee, and María del Mar Martínez unpack the structural and cultural factors that keep women from advancing early in their careers. This blog post dives into their key findings and offers actionable strategies for women and organizations to overcome this persistent challenge.

What Is the Broken Rung?

The term "broken rung" emerged from McKinsey’s extensive research on women in the workplace. It refers to the disparity that occurs at the very first step up to management. Although women earn a majority of college degrees in the United States and United Kingdom – 56%, to be exact, in Pakistan, and other countries, they are underrepresented in early managerial roles.

According to McKinsey's findings, only 48% of entry-level employees are women, and that number drops to 38% at the first level of management. The result? A ripple effect. When women miss that first crucial promotion, their chances of advancing to senior leadership roles diminish significantly. This creates a shrinking pipeline of female leaders and perpetuates gender inequality at every organizational level.

Why the First Promotion Matters?

The first step up the corporate ladder is more than just a title change. It marks the transition from individual contributor to leader. It brings with it increased responsibility, visibility, and the opportunity to gain what the authors call "experience capital"—the collection of skills, knowledge, and insights that fuel career growth and economic mobility.

Experience capital plays a pivotal role in long-term success. In fact, about half of a person’s lifetime earnings come from what they learn and achieve on the job. Missing out on these developmental roles early in their careers means women fall behind in skill acquisition, wage growth, and leadership readiness.

The Role of Bias and Culture

The broken rung is not just a numbers issue; it is a reflection of deeper cultural and systemic biases.

• Performance vs. Potential: Women are often promoted based on past performance, while men are promoted based on perceived potential. This double standard creates an uneven playing field.

• Lack of Sponsorship: Women are less likely to have sponsors—senior leaders who advocate for them behind closed doors. Without sponsorship, women miss out on high-profile assignments and advancement opportunities.

• Workplace Norms: Many organizational cultures still reward traditionally masculine traits like assertiveness and risk-taking while undervaluing collaboration and empathy—qualities that women often bring to the table.

These subtle but powerful dynamics discourage women from seeking leadership roles or being considered for them.

Strategies for Women: Navigating the Broken Rung

While systemic change is essential, individual strategies can also help women overcome early career hurdles. Here are four actionable steps for women to take charge of their advancement:

Build Experience Capital Intentionally

Seek out roles, projects, and assignments that stretch your capabilities and build new skills. Even lateral moves can offer learning opportunities that increase your readiness for leadership.

Choose Growth-Oriented Workplaces

Look for organizations that prioritize diversity, equity, and inclusion. These employers are more likely to offer clear promotion paths, mentorship programs, and fair evaluation criteria.

Find Mentors and Sponsors

A mentor provides guidance and support, while a sponsor actively advocates for you in high-stakes decisions. Cultivate relationships with leaders who recognize your potential and can open doors to new opportunities.

Be Bold and Ask for What You Want

Don’t wait to be noticed. Express your aspirations, ask for feedback, and seek out promotions. Advocate for yourself with confidence and clarity.

Strategies for Organizations: Fixing the Rung

Organizations also have a critical role to play in addressing the broken rung. Leaders and HR professionals must recognize the long-term costs of under-promoting women and take intentional steps to change the system. Here’s how:

Reevaluate Promotion Criteria

Ensure that promotion decisions are based on objective criteria and that both performance and potential are assessed fairly across genders. Train managers to recognize and interrupt bias.

Establish Clear Career Pathways

Create transparent frameworks for advancement. Define the skills, behaviors, and experiences needed to move from one level to the next, and communicate these to all employees.

Invest in Leadership Development Early

Offer leadership training and development programs for high-potential women at the entry and mid-career levels. Equip them with the tools, networks, and confidence to step into management roles.

Track and Report Progress

Use data to monitor gender disparities in promotion rates and managerial representation. Share results with leadership teams and hold them accountable for improving outcomes.

A Call for Systemic Change

The authors of ‘The Broken Rung’ are clear: while individual effort matters, real progress requires systemic change. Women can and do succeed despite the broken rung, but they shouldn’t have to. Companies that address the root causes of early-career inequality not only empower women—they build stronger, more innovative, and more resilient organizations.

The good news is that change is possible. Organizations that have embraced these practices are seeing improvements in gender parity, employee engagement, and overall performance. And as more companies prioritize equity, the collective impact will reshape the workforce for future generations.

Sum Up

The broken rung is one of the most critical—and fixable—barriers to women’s advancement in the workplace. It is the point at which many talented, capable women fall behind not due to lack of ambition or ability, but due to structural flaws and outdated assumptions.

The solutions are within reach. Women can take control of their careers by building experience capital, seeking mentorship, and speaking up. Organizations can redesign their promotion processes, track data, and invest in leadership development.

Ultimately, the question is not whether we can fix the broken rung; it’s whether we will. The future of leadership depends on it.

Concluded.

Disclaimers: Pictures in these blogs are taken from free resources at Pexels, Pixabay, Unsplash, and Google. Credit is given where available. If a copyright claim is lodged, we shall remove the picture with appropriate regrets.

For most blogs, I research from several sources which are open to public. Their links are mentioned under references. There is no intent to infringe upon anyone’s copyrights. If, any claim is lodged, it will be acknowledged and recognized duly. 

Reference:

https://www.mckinsey.com/featured-insights/mckinsey-on-books/author-talks-how-women-can-overcome-the-broken-rung