A broken rung on a career ladder symbolizes the challenges women face in leadership advancement.

The Broken Rung: Why Women Aren't Climbing the Leadership Ladder and How to Fix It

Theo Raines in Business & Economy June 2025 • 4 min read.

"New research reveals the hidden barriers preventing women from advancing in their careers, and offers actionable strategies for organizations to level the playing field."

For decades, organizations and policymakers have focused on demand-side factors to explain why women are underrepresented in leadership positions. Efforts like implementing quotas and debiasing hiring practices are essential, but they only address part of the problem. A growing body of evidence suggests that labor supply decisions also play a significant role, meaning that women may be opting out of leadership roles for reasons that haven't been fully understood.

Traditional data on promotions, often measured by pay increases or occupational changes, makes it difficult to pinpoint the specific factors that make climbing the leadership ladder less appealing to women. While some studies have explored preferences for different dimensions of leadership, such as power or authority, these often lack the nuances of real-world workplaces.

New research provides compelling evidence that one particular aspect of leadership – responsibility for a team – plays a significant role in women's decisions to seek early-career promotions. By examining a large firm's application and vacancy data, combined with detailed personnel records and survey responses, the study reveals a 'broken rung' on the leadership ladder: women are substantially less likely to apply for promotions that involve managing a team.

The Team Leadership Disconnect: Unveiling the Real Reasons Women Aren't Applying

A broken rung on a career ladder symbolizes the challenges women face in leadership advancement.

The research, based on data from over 30,000 white-collar and management employees, reveals a significant gender gap in applications for early-career promotions. This gap isn't fully explained by factors like family constraints, confidence levels, or perceived likelihood of success. Instead, the study points to a key feature of many promotions: the requirement to assume responsibility for a team.

A large-scale survey conducted as part of the research confirms that responsibility for a team is a particularly salient dimension of early-career promotions. When asked about the most significant changes accompanying their first promotion, employees who already held leadership positions overwhelmingly cited taking on responsibility for a team – almost twice as often as factors like greater responsibility over projects or business decisions.

While experimental research has explored various dimensions of leadership that may contribute to gender differences, the study reveals that women may find these aspects unappealing:

Administrative Burden: Managing large teams often involves a significant amount of administrative work.
Conflict Resolution: Team leaders are frequently required to resolve conflicts within their teams or between their teams and upper management.

The study further reveals that women are more likely to avoid positions that entail these aspects, women are willing to trade off higher pay to avoid leading a large team, which carries a higher administrative burden. Also women are more likely to forgo higher pay in order to avoid leading an unknown team with a larger potential for conflict, women in lower-level positions harbor more negative perceptions regarding team leadership.

Leveling the Playing Field: Designing Leadership Positions that Attract Women

The study's findings offer valuable insights for organizations seeking to increase female representation in leadership roles. By tailoring the design of leadership positions to address the specific factors that deter women, organizations can create more equitable and inclusive workplaces. Some strategies for improvement include organizations offering more team leadership positions with smaller team sizes, and offering more support and information for how to navigate the challenges related to leading a team.

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This article is based on research published under:

DOI-LINK: https://doi.org/10.48550/arXiv.2404.0775,

Title: The Broken Rung: Gender And The Leadership Gap

Subject: econ.gn q-fin.ec

Authors: Ingrid Haegele

Published: 11-04-2024

Everything You Need To Know

What is the 'broken rung' hindering women's advancement in leadership roles?

The 'broken rung' refers to a significant barrier identified in the research: women are substantially less likely to apply for early-career promotions that involve managing a team. This disconnect arises because women may perceive team leadership, which comes with administrative burdens and the need for conflict resolution, as less appealing compared to other aspects of leadership or roles without these responsibilities. This is supported by the fact that women are willing to trade off higher pay to avoid leading larger teams or dealing with conflict, showcasing a clear disincentive to climb the leadership ladder at this specific point.

What specific aspects of team leadership make it less appealing to women, as revealed by the research?

The research points to two primary aspects that make team leadership less appealing: the significant administrative burden and the need for frequent conflict resolution. Managing large teams often requires dealing with paperwork, scheduling, and other administrative tasks. Furthermore, leaders must resolve conflicts within the team or between the team and upper management. The findings reveal that these factors are crucial in women's hesitance to pursue promotions involving team management.

How does the study's data analysis contribute to understanding the leadership gap?

The study's analysis, using a large firm's data, combined with personnel records and survey responses, reveals a nuanced understanding of why women may opt out of team leadership. It identifies that the gender gap in applications for early-career promotions isn't primarily due to factors like family constraints or confidence. Instead, it zeroes in on the responsibility for a team as a key factor. The research provides evidence that team leadership, with its associated challenges like administrative burden and conflict resolution, plays a significant role in women's decisions about career advancement.

Beyond quotas and hiring practices, what other strategies can organizations use to level the playing field for women in leadership?

Organizations can create more equitable workplaces by addressing the specific factors deterring women. The research suggests tailoring the design of leadership positions to address the challenges related to leading a team. Organizations can offer more team leadership positions with smaller team sizes, reducing the administrative burden. Also they can provide more support and training for navigating the challenges of team leadership, such as conflict resolution and administrative tasks. By addressing these specific concerns, organizations can create more inclusive and appealing leadership opportunities.

What are the implications of women's reluctance to apply for team leadership positions, and what are the larger consequences for the organization and gender equality?

Women's reluctance to apply for team leadership positions has significant implications. It contributes to the underrepresentation of women in leadership roles, thus limiting diversity and potentially hindering organizational performance, as diverse teams can offer wider perspectives and better decision-making. This also reinforces existing gender disparities in the workplace. By understanding the root causes, such as the administrative burden and conflict resolution, organizations can implement strategies to make team leadership more appealing to women. This includes redesigning roles, providing better support, and fostering a more inclusive work environment. This will not only help individual women advance in their careers but also contribute to a more equitable and successful organization.