Glass Ceilings and Broken Rungs

Every June 23rd, we celebrate the talent of women engineers around the world. But this date is also a call to reflect on how far we still need to go to ensure full, equitable participation for women in the tech industry. Two concepts — both metaphorical and painfully real — continue to shape the landscape: the well-known glass ceiling and the increasingly recognized broken rung.

The glass ceiling represents the invisible yet persistent barrier that prevents many women from reaching senior leadership roles, even when they have the talent and qualifications. The broken rung, on the other hand, appears much earlier: it's that first critical step into management — a promotion or strategic assignment — that many women never receive. Without that first step, climbing the career ladder becomes significantly harder, or even impossible. The result? Fewer women in decision-making roles, fewer visible role models, and a structural inequality that starts at the very beginning.

As political scientist Florencia Freijo said during a talk at Bitlogic on International Women’s Day:

When we talk about the glass ceiling, we're not referring to a single barrier, but to a network of structural obstacles that become invisible. It's not that women don’t want to lead — it’s that the system often doesn’t even imagine them in those roles.

How high are the barriers today?

While progress toward gender equality has been made, the latest numbers show there’s still a long way to go. According to the Global Gender Gap Report 2025, 68.8% of the global gender gap has been closed. But at the current pace, we’re still 135 years away from achieving full economic parity.

In tech, women remain significantly underrepresented. Only 27.6% of the global tech workforce is made up of women. In STEM fields, that number drops to 22% across G20 countries. And when it comes to career advancement, the broken rung is still a major hurdle: for every 100 men promoted to a first-level management role, only 81 women are promoted. The numbers are even more stark for women of color and those from historically underrepresented groups.

Signs of change (and reasons to keep pushing)

Change is possible — and the numbers back it up. In companies with inclusive cultures, women are 61% more likely to reach management roles before turning 30. That’s both encouraging and a clear reminder: culture matters. When the environment is supportive, talent can thrive.

As Freijo also noted in her Bitlogic talk:

Women don’t just face barriers at the top — many never even get to take the first step. That lack of early opportunities is a silent form of exclusion.

The local outlook supports this idea. In Argentina, according to research by Fundar, women represent just 30% of the software workforce, and most are in non-technical roles. That translates into fewer opportunities for growth, lower salaries, and less visibility. So yes — we’re seeing signs of progress, but that doesn’t mean the work is done. If anything, it’s a reason to double down and make sure change reaches everyone.

So, what are we doing about it?

At Bitlogic, we believe that change isn’t automatic or accidental — it’s built through intention, data, and commitment. Through our Diversity, Equity & Inclusion program, Breaking Gaps, we’re working to turn inclusion into a lived, measurable practice. We review internal processes, track progress, and create learning spaces.

However, we’re not exempt from the broader trend — only 30% of our technical team are women. Why? The root causes go far beyond recruitment. The gender gap in tech begins long before a résumé reaches a hiring manager. From early cultural conditioning and limited exposure to STEM, to biased educational and career pathways, multiple factors narrow the pipeline of women entering technical fields. That’s why at Bitlogic, we’re committed to acting early and intentionally — addressing stereotypes, amplifying representation, and embedding inclusion structurally across the journey.

We know celebrating a single day isn’t enough. We need to transform the culture — rethink how we make decisions, how we hire, how we promote, and how we support growth. And there’s a business case, too: studies by McKinsey show that diverse teams can improve financial performance by 15% on average, and up to 39% in highly diverse companies.

That’s why we’re committed to being part of the solution.

Because breaking glass ceilings and fixing broken rungs isn’t a solo effort — it’s a shared responsibility.

References:

• World Economic Forum. Global Gender Gap Report 2025
• WomenTech Network. Women in Tech Stats 2025
• UNESCO. Changing the Equation: Securing STEM Futures for Women (2024)
• McKinsey & Company / Fostering Women’s Leadership & Workplace Inclusion | Lean In . Women in the Workplace 2024
• Fundar. Female Career Paths in the Software Industry (2024)