This summer, McKinsey released the latest phase of a global research initiative on women in senior management across Asia, Europe, and North America. This effort involved assembling fresh data on the gender composition of boards, executive committees, and talent pipelines, as well as detailed surveys of leading businesses in each region. 

Authors Joanna Barsh, Sandrine Devillard, and Jin Wang detail findings in the November McKinsey Quarterly article, “The Global Gender Agenda.”  

“Encouragingly, the research shows that a growing number of women, both in senior roles and among the rank and file, are finding their voices and inspiring others to achieve progress. It also demonstrates that more companies are enjoying the benefits of gender diversity and that some have found ways to boost the representation of women at the highest levels of their organizations.  

Yet while the vast majority of organizations in developed economies are striving to unlock the potential of women in the workforce, many executives remain frustrated that they have not made more immediate and substantial progress. Firmly entrenched barriers continue to hinder the progress of high-potential women: many of those who start out with high ambitions, for instance, leave for greener pastures, settle for less demanding staff roles, or simply opt out of the workforce. In Asia, cultural attitudes toward child care and household tasks further complicate the challenges for corporate pioneers. And everywhere we look, despite numerous gender diversity initiatives, too few women reach the executive committee, and too few boards have more than a token number of women.” 

The research not only offered some clues about the characteristics of companies that make the greatest advances in gender diversity, but offers  a short list of actions that should be on every committed leader’s priority list: 

1. Treat gender diversity like any other strategic business initiative.

2. Ask for—and talk about—the data.

3. Establish a culture of sponsorship.

4. Raise awareness of what a diverse work environment looks like. 

Visit the McKinsey Quarterly website to read the complete article.  

About the authors: Joanna Barsh is a director in McKinsey’s New York office, Sandrine Devillard is a director in the Paris office, and Jin Wang is a principal in the Shanghai office.