Only two-fifths of women (41%) globally expect that the gender pay gap will be closed for their generation, with confidence about their prospects at work also in sharp decline, research has suggested.
The worrying findings, from the British Standards Institute’s 2025 Lifting the Second Glass Ceiling report, also concluded that less than half (46%) of the 6,494 women from the UK, India, Japan, China, the US, Germany and Australia felt their generation would attain leadership positions to the same degree as men.
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Creating a culture of care in workplaces by investing in formal and informal support around areas including menopause, cancer support or miscarriage, as well as greater flexibility and other adjustments, can be critical to retaining women in the workforce, the report recommended.
In just two years, women’s levels of optimism on reaching gender pay parity have dropped from 57% to 41%, said the BSI.
The proportion of women confident that they will attain leadership positions to the same degree as men had dropped from 60% to 46%.
Confidence in receiving the same flexibility and support to remain in the workforce as long as men had also fallen significantly, from 59% to just 43% in 2025, with only 47% expecting this to change for women in future generations.
In fact, amid global concerns about productivity rates and absenteeism, the research found that one in five women globally (21%) anticipated ending their career early.
Crucially, the data suggested these departures were not always driven by personal choice. Barriers to progression, or just staying in work, include physical health (cited by 27%), menopause (21%), and pay imbalances.
More than seven out of 10 (71%) said pay parity with male colleagues would help them remain in the workforce for longer, while for three-quarters of respondents, tax or pension incentives are key.
More than three-quarters (77%) also highlighted that improved support for chronic and other illnesses, such as cancer, would be welcome.
Caring responsibilities persisted as a key constraint for women in the workforce, the BSI also found.
More than a fifth (21%) of women reported caring responsibilities for parents or elderly relatives as a barrier to remaining in the workforce, and 12% cited the demands of looking after grandchildren.
Women were unequivocal that improved support for maternity and return to work would help them stay in the workforce – 76% of respondents agreed with this, with the figure rising to 83% of those who have been pregnant, and 71% said the same for paternity leave.
Yet, the data also showed that only 44% expected that, for the next generation workforce, caring for parents and children would be equally distributed between men and women.
As return-to-office mandates continued to be announced by major firms, the research found that, although 65% of women globally work in person, more than three-quarters (78%) wanted greater flexibility in where or when they work. Moreover, four in 10 believed this would directly support their ability to stay in the workforce longer.
While more than half (55%) said they would prefer to deal with issues such as miscarriage, difficult pregnancies or menopause in private, 69% agreed they would personally welcome support from an employer to help them remain in the workplace. This ranged from being able to access paid leave to flexibility or access to healthcare support.
Nevertheless, only 29% would be comfortable raising fertility or miscarriage issues with a male line manager, compared with 56% with a female manager.
Notably, two-thirds (67%) said they would value formal policies for difficult pregnancies, miscarriage or baby loss, and 62% said the same for neurodivergent conditions. Of those whose employers did have policies in place, globally the majority (86%) said they were effective.
Finally, and more positively, the data suggested an exponential rise in knowledge of formal policies to address personal health and wellbeing issues, such as menopause and health related to menstruation.
In 2023, when BSI published the world’s first workplace standard on accommodating menopause in the workplace, only 7% globally were aware of these policies within their organisation, compared with 44% today.
Kate Field, global head, health, safety and wellbeing at BSI, said: “Women’s confidence about their prospects at work are in dramatic decline. There is an urgent need for intervention with a true culture of care, employers must take a holistic view of the experiences that shape women’s working lives and respond to them.
“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.
“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. Our research shows that a compassionate culture isn’t just good for people, it’s good for business,” Field added.
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