Four in five managers can’t rule out gender bias holding back young women’s promotions, new report finds

Posted on 26th October 2026

More than four in five managers cannot rule out gender stereotypes or unconscious bias affecting young women’s chances of promotion in their organisation, according to new research from the Chartered Management Institute (CMI).

Based on polling of UK managers (601) working across the economy, the research finds that just one in six (17%) say gender stereotypes or unconscious bias never affect promotion decisions, while almost a quarter (24%) cite a male-dominated culture or bias as a main barrier preventing young women from securing their first management or leadership role.

The findings, published in CMI’s Ready to Lead: Unblocking the Leadership Pipeline for Young Women, also revealed a deep divide in how male and female managers view opportunities for progression. One in three (34%) managers strongly agree that their organisation provides equal opportunities for men and women to move into management or leadership roles, rising to more than two in five (44%) among male managers but falling to fewer than one in four (24%) among female managers.

Support for young women is also falling short, warned CMI, with just one in four (25%) managers strongly agreeing that young women in their organisation are supported to develop management or leadership skills. Just over one in four (28%) say women are actively encouraged to apply for leadership roles.

Research from Girlguiding, a partner in the report along with Women@Tech and the Young Women’s Trust, finds that seven in ten (71%) women aged 17 to 21 want to be leaders, but just one in ten (10%) managers say their organisation offers a formal sponsorship programme, even though more than two in five (44%) believe mentoring or sponsorship would help them better identify and develop emerging female talent.

CMI is calling on employers to create clearer routes into management, provide training and accreditation routes to boost skills and confidence and move beyond passive mentoring towards active sponsorship, where senior leaders advocate for emerging talent when they are not in the room.

Ann Francke OBE, Chief Executive of the Chartered Management Institute, said: “Men and women are looking at the same workplaces and seeing very different levels of opportunity. When male managers are almost twice as likely as female managers to believe the playing field is level, employers should be asking what they are missing.

“We spend a lot of time talking about the glass ceiling, but the problem starts much earlier. Young women want to lead, yet too many are not being seen, backed or given that crucial first opportunity to step up.

“Businesses cannot afford to let that talent go to waste. We need managers who actively spot potential, open doors and give the next generation the confidence and opportunity to lead.”

Tamara Box CMgr CCMI, Chair of the CMI Women committee that helped steer the research, said: “Advocacy is often the missing ingredient in a young woman’s career trajectory. Urging organisations to move from mentoring schemes to active, formal sponsorship initiatives has the potential to be a game-changer.”

For more information visi www.managers.org.uk