The Ambition Gap: Why Women Are Leaning Out of Promotions in 2025

The Lean In Report Reveals a Troubling Shift

For the first time since the Women in the Workplace report began a decade ago, significantly fewer women than men are interested in getting a promotion at work. According to nonprofit Lean In and McKinsey & Co.'s latest findings, only 69% of entry-level women (compared to 80% of men), 82% in mid-career (vs. 86% of men), and 84% of female senior executives (vs. 92% of men) reported a desire to advance in their careers.

This data, gathered from 124 companies with 3 million workers and interviews with 62 HR executives, highlights an "ambition gap" that has emerged in the past year. In 2023, 81% of both men and women surveyed said they were interested in getting promoted, including 93% of women under 30.

The Root Causes of the Ambition Gap

Lean In attributes this gap to a disparity in support and resources available to women in the workplace. When women receive the same career support as men—such as advocacy from managers and recommendations for promotions—the ambition gap in seeking a promotion disappears.

Former Meta Platforms executive and Lean In founder Sheryl Sandberg calls this part of a growing pattern of women being left behind. While the number of men in the workplace has risen by nearly 400,000 this year, the number of working women has fallen by about 500,000, according to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data.

"This is my fourth decade in the workplace, and we are in a particularly troubling moment in terms of the rhetoric on women," Sandberg told CNN. "We make progress, we backslide. And I think this is a major moment of backsliding."

The Impact of Remote Work and Childcare Challenges

Stricter return-to-office mandates and the rising cost of childcare have forced many women to either cut hours or quit their jobs altogether—a trend researchers are calling "The Great Exit." Labor force participation from women aged 25 to 44 with children under 5 fell by about 3% from January to June of this year alone.

Women who work from home, often out of necessity due to childcare responsibilities, risk becoming invisible at their jobs. They receive less feedback and mentorship than their in-office counterparts and are less likely to be promoted, with fewer raises and lower wages.

The Rollback of DEI Efforts

These changes coincide with concerted efforts to curb diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives in the workplace. Women report that this rollback has impacted their career plans, leading them to prioritize job security over career growth opportunities.

Despite 88% of companies saying they prioritize inclusive cultures, only 54% have committed to programs designed for women’s career enhancement, and 48% to efforts advancing women of color. One-fifth of companies surveyed reported no specific support efforts for moving women up in their careers.

Economic Consequences and Calls for Change

Billionaire philanthropist Melinda French Gates notes, "We’ve built systems that aren’t working, and women are bearing the brunt of it." She attributes continued challenges to tradeoffs women make, such as balancing work with childcare, and enduring stereotypes about their leadership capabilities.

Sandberg argues that neglecting women in the workplace is a dangerous economic choice. If the U.S. increased women’s workforce participation on par with other wealthy countries, it could add an additional 4.2% GDP growth. OECD data shows that a country’s wealth is correlated with women’s participation in its workforce.

"This is a critical issue, not of special treatment," Sandberg said, "but of making sure we get the best out of our workforce and … are competitive economically."