Article
The facts about gender representation
The facts about gender representation
Across regions and industries, women are underrepresented in senior leadership and earn less than men for the same work. Though women now surpass men in earning advanced degrees, their labor force participation and advancement to top positions have not kept pace. Women of color, particularly Latine and Black women, are even more underrepresented.
Barriers can include limited access to sponsors, caregiving responsibilities, and reluctance to self-advocate. Including women in your organizational practice strategy—including pay transparency practices, flexible work, and parental leave—benefits all employees. Fostering diverse teams is about unlocking the full potential of the workforce.
Gender disparities aren’t just harmful. They're bad for business.
Diverse teams drive innovation, better decision-making, and improved financial performance. Companies that make investments in more inclusive cultures can differentiate themselves and compete for stronger talent—especially in sectors like manufacturing, infrastructure, and finance where equal gender representation lags even further behind compared to others.
Addressing the underrepresentation of Latinas
Latinas are significantly underrepresented in the US corporate workforce, comprising only 5% of entry-level positions and a mere 1% of the C-suite. Investing in Latine employees with coaching, raises, and advancement opportunities is crucial for retention and building a more inclusive workplace. Organizations must also address barriers like caregiving responsibilities and reluctance to self-advocate through sponsorship and supportive policies.
Women are underrepresented, especially at the top
46.8%
of the total workforce in the US is women.
29.2%
of chief executives in the US are women.
Women’s educational gains vs. workforce challenges
Since the 1980s and 2000s, women have surpassed men in earning bachelor’s, master’s, and doctorate degrees across all racial and ethnic groups. Despite this progress, their labor force participation has declined since its 1999 peak (source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics). To address this disparity, companies must establish goals and accountabilities to build inclusion into day-to-day activities. One important strategy to attract and retain women is to provide benefits that support balancing childcare with workplace demands.
Featured video
44% of women in the United States foresee needing to change jobs to balance childcare and work demands—which costs businesses billions of dollars a year (source: Catalyst, 2023). In this video, Dr. Claudia Goldin, winner of the 2023 Nobel Prize in Economics, joins Catalyst to discuss the ongoing challenges and importance of addressing childcare issues and promoting gender equity in the labor force.
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