For many years, the glass ceiling has been one of the strongest metaphors used to describe women’s leadership journeys in the workplace. But when we look more closely today, it becomes clear that the problem does not exist only at the top. Many women get stuck much earlier, long before they ever reach the glass ceiling. When the first step on the ladder is broken, moving upward becomes difficult from the start.
According to the Women in the Workplace report by McKinsey and Lean In, this issue is known as the “Broken Rung” and appears at the first promotion to a managerial role. The data shows that for every 100 men promoted to their first management position, only 93 women are promoted. For women from underrepresented ethnic backgrounds, this number can drop to as low as 60.
This imbalance is not limited to a single promotion moment. The same research shows that the broken rung has remained largely unchanged for the past 11 years. This points to a structural and persistent problem rather than a temporary fluctuation. When women miss this first step, they lose the chance to reach balance at higher levels from the outset. As the management pipeline becomes more male dominated, the pool of women seen as potential leaders narrows further with each promotion cycle.
The reports also highlight that inequality begins much earlier than many assume. Support in the early career stage is critical for all employees. Career support should not be limited to mentoring or feedback alone. It should also mean that senior leaders actively place employees in critical opportunities. Research shows that employees who receive this kind of support are nearly twice as likely to be promoted compared to those who do not. Yet at entry level, only 31% of women have access to this type of support, compared to 45% of men.
As the reports emphasize, these figures combine with other factors. Women receive less early career support, have lower visibility, and have fewer opportunities to take part in high impact projects. The key point, however, is that when women receive adequate support, clear criteria, and strong managerial ownership, the gap in promotion ambition and performance closes. The issue is not motivation, it is access to opportunity.
This also explains why we continue to see so few women in leadership roles at senior levels and how the building blocks of the glass ceiling are formed. When discussing leadership diversity, focusing only on the C-suite is not enough. Real change begins at the start of the career ladder. Unless the first step into management is designed to be fair, transparent, and intentional, efforts to break the glass ceiling will remain incomplete. The challenges in women’s leadership journeys do not start at the top, they start at the beginning. And until that first rung is repaired, the path upward will not be equal for everyone.