Spring 2023 Progress Report: Women's Advancement
Tina Lawler McHugh, MBA
Senior Research Associate
Keila Viñas, PhD
Senior Research Associate
Published March 27, 2023
As Women's History Month comes to a close, we continue to celebrate the contributions and achievements of women in the workplace, and also reflect on what their work experience has been like over the past year.
Some bright spots are apparent - women's overall employment is rebounding after steep pandemic losses and employers are increasingly investing in supporting their needs across life stages. Yet disparities persist and much work remains to be done when it comes to wages, advancement and well-being, particularly for mothers, women leaders, and women of color.
In our Spring 2023 Women's Progress Report, we take stock of women in the workplace and review in charts the following trends:
Women's employment recovered to pre-pandemic levels in 2022, but significant gaps remain between mothers and fathers.
Caregiving responsibilities disparately impact women at all life stages, especially mothers.
The gender wage gap persists at all levels and especially for women of color.
Women are underrepresented in higher wage occupations, especially STEM.
Women are more burned out than men and increasingly prioritize flexibility.
Employers are investing more in family-friendly and women's reproductive health benefits.