It's not the "glass ceiling" holding women back at work, new analysis finds

The struggle women face landing senior leadership roles in corporate America is commonly blamed on the "glass ceiling" — the metaphorical gender barrier that blocked their ascent to the highest levels of management. Yet new research indicates that the problems for women in the workforce begin far lower down the professional ladder.

Women early in their careers are far more likely to stumble on a "broken rung," or failing to get a promotion out of their entry-level jobs at the same rate as men, according to a new study from consulting firm McKinsey & Co. and Lean In, the nonprofit started by former Meta Chief Operating Officer Sheryl Sandberg. 

For every 100 male employees promoted from entry-level jobs to managerial roles, only 87 women received a similar promotion, according to the report. The broken rung is even harder to surmount for women of color, with only 73 receiving that first promotion for every 100 men who are moved up, the study found.