New report finds that women’s workplace expectations are in decline
Women's expectations of achieving gender pay parity plummeted in 2025, according to a new report, which found declining confidence among women regarding their prospects in the workplace.
The 2025 Lifting the Second Glass Ceiling report from business standards firm BSI revealed that women's expectations of achieving leadership roles and receiving flexibility also dropped from two years ago.
"Optimism about the future is no higher in 2025 than in 2023, and in some cases lower," the report read.
It found that only 42% of women in seven countries expect their generation to achieve pay parity, down from 57% in 2023.
Japan is the least optimistic country when it comes to this, with 36% not expressing confidence, while India is the most optimistic with 71% being confident about achieving pay parity.
The gender pay gap remains at around an estimated 20% globally, according to the United Nations.
"Progress on narrowing that gap has been slow. While equal pay for men and women has been widely endorsed, applying it in practice has been difficult," the UN said during International Equal Pay Day on September 18.
Achieving leadership roles, flexibility
Meanwhile, the report also found that women's confidence in achieving leadership positions to the same degree as their male colleagues also dropped from 60% to 46% this year.
Older women are also less confident (40%) than younger women (55%) when it comes to leadership expectations.
"This could be for a variety of reasons, including lived experience (being passed over for leadership roles) or due to caring responsibilities," the report read.
Expectations of receiving flexibility and the support needed to remain in the workplace also went down to 43% from 59% in 2023.
Just 44% of women are also confident that the workforce caring for parents and children will be equally distributed between men and women, according to the report.
"The reasons for this drop in confidence will likely vary, but could be linked to factors such as mandated return-to-office policies, changes in governments, or the global economic downturn," the report read.
Gaps in workplace support
The findings come as the report noted various gaps in workplace support regarding challenges faced by women in organisations.
It found that 60% of women globally have never heard their employer talk proactively about menopause support, while only 11% said their employers regularly communicate about available support.
They have also never heard their employer talk about other common issues affecting women such as:
- Menstruation (56%)
- Fertility challenges (64%)
- Difficult pregnancies or miscarriage (61%)
Kate Field, Global Head of Health, Safety and Well-being, BSI, said the findings call for an urgent need for intervention from employers with a "true culture of care."
"This includes clear, well-communicated policies, having both formal and informal support on offer, and ensuring managers are equipped to respond with empathy and discretion," Field said in a statement.
"Adaptable arrangements that support well-being through pregnancy, fertility, menopause, and beyond are critical at a time when concerns about productivity and absenteeism are significant."
