One in seven women in management roles say their gender has made it harder to succeed at work, a new survey indicates, showing the ongoing barriers that continue to affect career progression. Women in senior positions are twice as likely as men to feel that their gender has hindered their professional growth.
Ahead of International Women’s Day on March 8, new findings from payroll software firm Ciphr show that gender discrimination is not limited to a single level of management but affects women at all stages of leadership. While 16% of female leaders say their gender has been a disadvantage, it drops to 12% for middle managers and 15% for junior managers. The figures for men are significantly lower, at 9.4% for senior management, 4.8% for middle management and 5% for junior management.
The challenges extend beyond those in leadership roles. Women in non-management positions also report facing gender-related obstacles at work, and nearly one in five self-employed women feel their gender has made career success harder — a striking contrast to the 0.9% of self-employed men who say the same.
Gender Bias in Different Industries
Gender-related barriers to success are more pronounced in some industries than others, with women in certain sectors significantly more likely than men to report facing obstacles in their careers, the survey found. The disparity is particularly evident in traditionally male-dominated fields, where women in management roles often encounter greater challenges in progressing:
- Law: 42% of female managers vs 10% of male managers
- Energy and utilities: 33% vs 11%
- Transport and logistics: 21% vs 3.1%
- Property and construction: 20% vs 5%
- Retail: 17% vs 2.4%
- Engineering and manufacturing: 16% vs 1.4%
- Business, consulting and management: 20% vs 10%
- Accountancy, banking and finance (including insurance and pensions): 14% vs 4.9%
- Public services and administration: 12% vs 4.3%
- Hospitality and events management: 19% vs 11%
- Information technology: 16% vs 11%
- Healthcare: 9.2% vs 5.4%
- Creative arts and design: 30% vs 27%
- Teaching and education: 6.2% vs 5.6%
- Sales: 5.6% vs 5%
- Charity and voluntary work: 5.3% vs 11%
Why Are Women Still Facing Barriers?
Gender bias in the workplace takes many forms, from hiring and promotion disparities to cultural and structural inequalities that disproportionately affect women. Women in management often encounter:
- Higher performance standards – Research shows that women are frequently judged more harshly for mistakes and expected to “prove” their competence repeatedly.
- Lack of mentorship and sponsorship – Fewer female role models in senior leadership can make it harder for women to access career-advancing opportunities.
- Microaggressions and bias – From being interrupted in meetings to having their ideas credited to male colleagues, workplace dynamics can create additional hurdles.
- Challenges in male-dominated cultures – Industries such as construction, transport, and engineering have historically catered to male workforces, making it harder for women to integrate and advance.
In some cases, women may also self-censor or over-prepare for tasks due to the pressure of avoiding gender-based scrutiny, creating what experts call the “performance tax”—an additional burden not faced by most male colleagues.
Solutions: How Workplaces Can Tackle Gender Bias
Despite the challenges, solutions exist to help level the playing field. Experts say workplaces that actively address gender disparities see better outcomes for both employees and businesses. Research-backed approaches include:
- Bias Interrupters – Introducing structured hiring and promotion processes to prevent unconscious bias from influencing decisions. Companies that remove gendered language from job descriptions and set clear, measurable criteria for promotions see higher gender balance in leadership.
- Mentorship and Sponsorship Programs – Establishing formal mentorship initiatives to support women in climbing the career ladder can counteract the lack of representation in leadership roles. Studies show that women with sponsors are more likely to be promoted than those without.
- Flexible Work and Equal Parental Leave – Normalising flexible work and offering equal parental leave to all employees helps dismantle the expectation that women must choose between career success and family responsibilities.
- Pay Transparency and Regular Audits – Mandating pay audits and making salaries more transparent can help close gender wage gaps, reducing the financial disadvantages that often accompany gender discrimination.
- Challenging Workplace Culture – Organisations must actively address and penalise gender-based harassment and discrimination, ensuring a more inclusive and supportive work environment for women.
What Needs to Change?
The findings make it clear that gender bias in the workplace is not an isolated issue but a structural challenge affecting industries across the board. While progress has been made, women in management still face significant hurdles that their male colleagues do not.
With the UK’s gender pay gap still at 13.1% in favour of men, and women in many industries continuing to report discrimination, experts say urgent action is needed to break down the barriers. For businesses that take gender equality seriously, they say, benefits are clear: more diverse leadership teams, improved company performance and a fairer, more inclusive workplace for all.