Gender Equality in the Workplace: Insights from Women Across Four Generations

In 2024, over half a century after pay discrimination became illegal in the United States, women earn just 84 cents compared to every dollar earned by men, and are systematically underpaid, according to statistics from the American Association of University Women (AAUW). At the current rate, the AAUW states that the gender pay gap will not close until 2088.

These inequalities are a growing source of workplace tension, which can lead to frustration for women in all phases of their careers, including those in management positions seeking to make pay gap progress. Put simply, the significance of gender equality in the workplace cannot be overstated.

As we look forward to supporting Gender Equality Month and Equal Pay Day, Checkr believes businesses can work to understand the importance of gender equality in the workplace and the impact those businesses can have on progress toward closing the pay gap, along with improving other gender-based inequalities at work. By adhering to best practices for gender equality in the workplace, employers not only fulfill their ethical responsibilities but also unlock a multitude of benefits that contribute to their success and sustainability. 

Embracing diversity and inclusion fosters a culture of innovation, creativity, and collaboration, where diverse perspectives fuel problem-solving and drive organizational excellence. Furthermore, gender equality enhances employee morale, retention, and engagement, leading to higher productivity and ultimately, a thriving workplace. Prioritizing gender equality is the right thing to do, and can be a major benefit for businesses with far-reaching implications for performance and growth in today's competitive marketplace.

To learn more about this issue, Checkr surveyed 2,000 employed women—an equal number of Boomers, Gen Xers, Millennials, and Gen Zers—to shed light on women’s feelings on the current state of gender equality in the workplace to help employers and leaders better understand concerns and overall sentiment surrounding gender inequalities at work and how those sentiments differ across different generations of working women.

Before we get into the summary of key findings, let’s take a look at the age groups of each generation surveyed:

The gender pay gap—the difference between the earnings of men and women—has barely closed in America over the past two decades. In 2002, women earned 80 cents compared to the dollar that men earned. Progress needs to be made, and it needs to be made faster than in recent years. We know that the pay gap exists, but we set out to uncover how working women truly feel about it.

To start, we asked women if they felt they were currently paid less than male colleagues due to the gender pay gap, all things being equal (quality of work, roles, titles, and responsibilities). 

When asked, an overwhelming 67% of women agreed that they earned less for equal work. Gen Zers felt least impacted by the gender pay gap, with 61% agreeing, while Millennials (66%), Gen Xers (68%), and Baby Boomers (71%) felt more strongly than their younger counterparts.

*Data from Checkr proprietary survey of 2,000 working women

Next, we asked working women if they felt that gender bias and/or discrimination did not impact them being paid fairly at work, and only 16% said they strongly agreed with this statement. When asked, all four generations were closely aligned in their agreement. 

Much like the gender pay gap, women are vastly underrepresented in leadership roles across the country and globally as well. As of 2023, women across the world hold just 32% of leadership positions, according to LinkedIn’s economic graph. 

To uncover how women feel about this issue, we started by asking if they felt well-represented in management positions. Here we found that Gen Zers feel strongly that women are not well-represented, with only 38% of them agreeing with this statement. Millennials (51%), Gen Xers (47%), and Baby Boomers (41%) feel the same way, just not as strongly as Gen Zers.

*Data from Checkr proprietary survey of 2,000 working women

While progress is being made, we wanted to find out if working women truly believe that they have as much of a chance to earn a management position or leadership role as men do. 

When asked, only 54% of Gen Z women said they believe that women have the same chance as men to earn a management position at work—the least confident of all generations. Millennials (62%), Gen Xers (65%), and Baby Boomers (61%) showed slightly more confidence than their younger counterparts. 

Next, we’ll take a look at feelings surrounding career advancement opportunities in the workplace.

Women’s contributions and accomplishments have been historically overlooked in the workplace. Business leaders can support women in the workplace by identifying, recommending, and selecting them for upward opportunities and advancement in the workplace, while also increasing their visibility to higher-ups and decision-makers. 

While these best practices are important, it’s also important to understand if women feel like they’re being provided these opportunities and visibility in the current workplace. 

To find out, we asked working women if they thought their company had policies in place to help ensure they get the same opportunities as men in the workplace. When asked, only 49% of Gen Z women said they believe their company does have these policies in place to ensure equal opportunities for women, the lowest for any generation. 60% of Millennials, 56% of Gen Xers, and 54% of Baby Boomers feel the same way.

Next, we wanted to find out if women thought promotions were given solely based on merit or if they believed that leadership would choose a male colleague for a promotion first simply because of gender. When asked, 69% of all women said they believe or are unsure about men being chosen over women for promotions because of gender, with Millennials (72%) and Baby Boomers (73%) feeling the strongest about this issue.

*Data from Checkr proprietary survey of 2,000 working women

We then wondered if visibility is an issue leading to a lack of advancement opportunities, so we asked working women if their manager does a good job of showcasing women in the workplace to help ensure they get the same visibility as men, and 63% of all women believe that management does do a good job showcasing them in the workplace and visibility is equal to men. Gen Z is least trusting of management doing this, as just 58% agree with this statement.

Next up, we’ll look into the concept of workplace respect between men and women. 

For businesses, gender equality is important for the reasons cited above in this report. But when we look specifically at the workplace, respect for women is also very necessary. Creating a diverse workforce where all types of people are respected and feel a part of the team is essential for success.  

To dig into the aspect of workplace respect for women, we started by asking working women if they thought men in the workplace had less respect for female managers than men in management roles. When asked, 80% of all women said they agree or are unsure about men having less respect for women managers than they do for men in management positions. 

To follow up, we asked if these women believe men in the workplace respect women workers as much as they respect other male colleagues. Here, only 11% said they strongly believe that their male colleagues respect women as much as they respect other men in the workplace. Baby Boomers are the least likely to believe men respect women in the workplace, with only 3% strongly agreeing with this statement. 

We also wanted to learn more about management preferences as they relate to gender equality, so we asked working women if they believed men would rather be managed by other men rather than women. 65% of all women said they believe that men prefer male managers, and Gen Zers disagreed most with the other generations, as just 57% of them echo this statement compared to 73% of Baby Boomers.

When a lack of respect that many women face turns into bias or discrimination, issues can arise in the workplace that impact various aspects of business, including career advancement, pay, and more. With that in mind, we asked women if they faced bias or discrimination in the workplace, would they be less likely to report the issue because of the potential negative ramifications of reporting? 

When asked, 82% of all women agree or are unsure that reporting gender bias or discrimination issues at work would lead to negative ramifications on job security or career advancement. 

*Data from Checkr proprietary survey of 2,000 working women

Overall, respect in the workplace cannot be understated and business leaders must understand the workplace dynamic between men and women as it relates to this issue.

On that note, since childcare responsibilities disproportionately fall on women, another important topic related to gender bias and respect in the workplace is how working women with children balance motherhood and their professional lives. Research has shown that one in five working mothers has considered leaving their job because of trouble balancing work and childcare. So we wondered, are working women viewed differently because of their at-home responsibilities?

To learn more about the perception of working women with children, we asked if women with children and more responsibilities at home are viewed as less dedicated and competent at work when compared to their male colleagues. When asked, 75% of all women said they agreed or were unsure about this issue. 

*Data from Checkr proprietary survey of 2,000 working women

The past few years have been a wild ride for both employers and employees, specifically women in the workforce. From COVID-19 to the Great Resignation to the Great Return, among other things, the workplace has seen a major shakeup unlike many we’ve seen before. Women have left the workforce to care for their children; others have shifted careers for more flexible work arrangements, and some have completely left the workforce. 

To learn more about the motivations for leaving jobs in the past 12 months, we asked working women to share their thoughts on this issue. When asked, working women said that the top reasons for leaving a job in the past 12 months were: 

While these are some key reasons women have left the workforce over the past 12 months, many other issues as detailed in this report could potentially become major reasons for women exiting the workforce in the coming years.

Business leaders can use this data and information as pivotal tools to create best practices to enhance and support gender equality in the workplace and make their workplace a more fair and enjoyable place for women. 

Employers can strive to cultivate environments where women are empowered to thrive, contribute fully, and ascend to leadership positions. By integrating data-driven decision-making into their practices, business leaders can foster more equitable workplaces while also driving innovation, enhancing productivity, and bolstering their competitive edge in the market. 

All data found within this report is derived from a survey by Checkr conducted online via survey platform Pollfish from January 27-29, 2024. In total, 2,000 employed female adult Americans were surveyed—an equal number from each generation. The respondents were found via Pollfish’s age, gender, and employment filtering features. This survey was conducted over a three-day span, and all respondents were asked to answer all questions as truthfully as possible and to the best of their knowledge and abilities.

The resources provided here are for educational purposes only and do not constitute legal advice. We advise you to consult your own counsel if you have legal questions related to your specific practices and compliance with applicable laws.

About the author

Sara Korolevich serves as checkr.com’s editor and content manager. In this role, she produces educational resources for employers on a broad range of screening topics, including background check compliance and best practices. She also writes about Checkr’s company and product news to keep customers updated and informed.