Shattering Glass Ceilings and Cleaning Up Sticky Floors

Despite recent strides in promoting gender equality in the workplace, persistent challenges remain, such as the need for a unified vision across all levels of companies and a steadfast commitment to fostering diversity.

Two significant hurdles, often referred to as glass ceilings and sticky floors, continue to impede progress. The former signifies an unseen barrier preventing women from ascending to senior positions, while the latter denotes a discriminatory employment pattern that disproportionately keeps women in lower-ranking positions, hampering mobility and erecting invisible barriers to career advancement.

"Gender equity is a collective responsibility of individuals, organizations and society at large. This involves both women and men, fostering greater collaboration and leveraging differences in risk aversion, contributing to a more comprehensive company vision," says Ana María Valdespino, Vice President of Marketing for the Americas, Nielsen.

In Mexico, the representation of women in senior management positions stands at only 38%, reflecting a modest increase from 33% in 2022, as per a study by Grant Thornton. INEGI notes that having women in leadership roles can enhance a company's profitability by 15%. 

However, despite legislative and policy advancements, Valdespino observes a lack of universal adherence within companies, even among those with a global presence that have implemented mentoring and support programs.

Global data from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) indicates that only 5% of women hold general management positions, while Deloitte forecasts that achieving gender parity on boards of directors will take until 2052, almost 30 years from now.

To address these disparities, there is a need for company leaders to wholeheartedly embrace the purpose of gender equality and its associated benefits, says Martha Barroso, Director People and Culture, ManpowerGroup Latam. "The myth says women do not reach leadership positions because they do not assertively seek them. She notes that today's younger workforce is proactive in proposing ideas, expressing ambitions, and providing feedback, and organizations must adapt to meet the expectations of these generations." 

Valdespino adds that it is also crucial to actively promote the participation of women in general management positions, emphasizing that their presence alone does not guarantee an equal opportunity to contribute to workplace dynamics.

Christian Hidalgo, Talent and Culture Director, Chubb, advocates for a diversity approach within gender equality practices. This entails recognizing and accommodating the diverse life paths of women, including those who choose not to become mothers, and tailoring career paths accordingly.

Barroso encourages women with excellent metrics and results but limited opportunities for growth to consider changing companies. “Waiting a decade to advance is not conducive to personal and professional aspirations, and individuals should not settle for a workplace where growth is elusive,” she says.