For the first time in over a decade, women in corporate America are reporting lower ambition for promotion than men—not because they lack drive, but because they’re receiving significantly less career support. This finding from the 2025 Women in the Workplace report by McKinsey and LeanIn.Org reveals a troubling shift: only half of companies now prioritize women’s career advancement, down from previous years.
The data is stark. While 86% of men say they want to be promoted to the next level, only 80% of women report the same desire. Among entry-level employees, the gap widens: 80% of men versus just 69% of women aspire to promotion. At senior levels, 92% of men seek advancement compared to 84% of women.
But here’s what the research also found: when women receive the same career support as men—including sponsorship, manager advocacy, and stretch opportunities—the ambition gap disappears completely.
In New York City, where women face some of the nation’s highest costs of living and financial pressures, this corporate pullback comes at a particularly challenging time. Combined with a deepening childcare crisis and persistent pay gaps, professional women are increasingly turning to community networks and city programs to find the support traditional employers aren’t providing.
The NYC Childcare Crisis Hits Working Women Hardest
The economics of working motherhood in NYC are sobering. According to the NYC Comptroller’s office, childcare costs average $16,250 annually for children under age 2, $11,648 for children ages 3-5, and $9,620 for school-age children. To spend less than 7% of household income on center-based daycare—a common affordability benchmark—a family would need to earn more than $224,000 annually.
The crisis has only intensified post-pandemic. New York State lost hundreds of licensed daycare slots even as demand surged, with 60% of the state’s census tracts now classified as childcare deserts. Meanwhile, 93% of employed childcare workers are women, with one in four living in poverty and earning a median income of just $25,000—45% of the median for all other NYC workers.
The impact on women’s workforce participation is measurable. Research from the Citizens’ Committee for Children of New York shows that two-thirds of parents who have downshifted careers or left the workforce for caregiving responsibilities since COVID-19 are women. One in four mothers have switched to part-time schedules or become stay-at-home parents specifically to save on childcare costs.
For women of color, the challenges multiply. According to New York State Department of Labor data, while women working full-time year-round face a 12% pay gap compared to men, Black women face a 34% pay disparity—making the already unaffordable childcare costs even more prohibitive.
Formal Networks Fill the Gap
As corporate support wanes and traditional resources become less accessible, professional women in NYC are increasingly leveraging established community networks and city programs designed to address these exact challenges.
Women.NYC, a city initiative run by the NYC Economic Development Corporation, has emerged as a key resource. The program provides structured networking groups, one-on-one sessions with industry advisors, and bridge programs specifically designed to help women transition into high-growth sectors like technology, life sciences, and the green economy. Their recently launched Scale Ready Studio offers a 12-week business growth program for women tech founders.
According to Women.NYC’s own metrics, participants report significant outcomes: a majority agreed that their strategic network grew as a result of the programming, and a substantial percentage of jobseekers obtained at least one interview after joining the program.
The Lean In network operates multiple “Circles” across NYC—small groups of professionals who meet regularly to share resources, practice new skills, and support each other’s advancement. The oldest continuously running circle in the network has 410 members, while specialized groups focus on specific sectors like finance (86 members), technology and startups (289 members), and corporate mothers (various groups).
Circle members consistently report tangible benefits: 98% credit their Circle with a positive change at work, and many describe learning to be more effective and inclusive leaders through peer support.
Ellevate Network, another established organization, offers in-person networking events including breakfasts, lunches, and evening gatherings specifically designed to help women build professional connections without the transactional feel of traditional business networking.
For women entrepreneurs, the New York Women in Business (NYWIB) alliance brings together eight professional organizations to provide mentoring, networking, education, and business resources. As part of SCORE NYC and funded through a cooperative agreement with the Small Business Administration, NYWIB offers free access to expertise and connections that might otherwise require expensive consultants or programs.
The Sponsorship Gap That Networks Address
One of the most critical gaps these networks help bridge is sponsorship—having senior leaders actively advocate for your advancement. The McKinsey/LeanIn.Org research found that employees with sponsors are promoted at nearly twice the rate of those without them.
Yet women face a significant sponsorship deficit. Among senior-level employees, 66% of women reported having sponsors versus 72% of men. The gap is widest at the entry level, where only 31% of women have sponsors compared to 45% of men—a critical disparity since these early-career promotions to management set the trajectory for future advancement.
Women also report receiving less support in other crucial areas. They’re less likely than men to have managers who help them navigate challenges, advocate for new opportunities, or sponsor them for high-visibility assignments. These informal support systems—the kind men have traditionally accessed through “old boys’ clubs”—significantly impact who advances and who gets left behind.
Professional networks in NYC are working to systematize this kind of support. Luminary, a gender-inclusive professional education and networking platform based in NYC, offers peer-to-peer mentorship cohorts alongside programs focused on skill development, self-advocacy, and professional transition support.
Industry-Specific Support Systems
Recognizing that career challenges vary by sector, specialized networks have emerged to address industry-specific needs.
Women in Technology International (WITI) runs regular NYC events including AI think tanks, leadership communities, and networking hours specifically for women in tech—an industry where women remain significantly underrepresented in leadership despite growing entry-level participation.
The Women of the Channel Leadership Summit, which sold out quickly in NYC for 2025, brings together women from across the IT channel for workshops, peer panels, and networking focused on navigating workplace dynamics and developing professional goals.
These industry-focused gatherings serve a dual purpose: they provide both practical skill development and the relationship-building that research shows is critical for advancement—particularly for women who may not have access to informal networks within their own companies.
The Work-Life Balance Paradox
Research from CNBC’s Women at Work survey reveals a troubling paradox: while 87% of women describe themselves as ambitious and flexibility is a top priority, 40% say they’re too concerned to use flexible benefits like paid leave or work-from-home options, fearing it could interfere with their career goals.
The McKinsey/LeanIn.Org data confirms these fears may be justified. Women working remotely face steeper penalties than men: when women work on-site, 59% have sponsors and 59% get promotions, but when working remotely those rates drop to 47% and 48%. For men, the drop is much smaller—from 57% and 54% on-site to 52% and 49% remote.
This creates an impossible bind for mothers in NYC, where reliable childcare is scarce and expensive: return to office and pay astronomical childcare costs, or work remotely and face career penalties that men don’t experience to the same degree.
City Initiatives Beyond Networking
Recognizing the interconnected nature of these challenges, NYC has launched initiatives that go beyond networking to address structural barriers.
The Childcare Innovation Lab, part of Women.NYC, works to build public-private partnerships and market-based solutions to expand access to care. The initiative provides toolkits for employers, resources on understanding the childcare crisis, and information about innovative products and services offering new childcare solutions.
Women.NYC’s “Pivot to Growth” program, developed in collaboration with organizations like LevelUP and GetSh!tDone, provides specialized coaching for women of color in early to mid-career stages looking to transition into high-growth industries. The program addresses a key finding from research: that women often lack the connections and support needed to make successful career pivots, even when they have transferable skills.
The city also offers the Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP), which provides subsidies based on income, family size, and employment status for children up to age 13. However, due to funding limitations, only about one in seven infants and toddlers in income-eligible families actually receives a subsidy—underscoring why community-based solutions remain critical.
What the Data Tells Us About Moving Forward
The confluence of declining corporate support, rising childcare costs, and persistent pay gaps creates a challenging environment for NYC professional women. Yet the growth of formal networks and city initiatives suggests recognition that community-based solutions can bridge critical gaps.
The McKinsey/LeanIn.Org research offers a clear roadmap: women need consistent sponsorship, manager advocacy, fair access to opportunities, and transparent promotion processes. When these elements are present, women’s ambition to advance matches men’s at every career level.
For women navigating these challenges in NYC, the expanding ecosystem of professional networks—from Women.NYC’s structured programs to Lean In Circles’ peer support to industry-specific organizations—offers multiple entry points for accessing the kind of support that research shows drives advancement.
As advocates at the Community Service Society of New York point out, these community solutions are necessary but not sufficient. Systemic change requires investment in childcare infrastructure, fair pay policies, and corporate accountability for supporting women’s advancement.
Until that broader change happens, NYC’s professional women are doing what data shows works: building networks, accessing city resources, and creating community-based systems of support that can sustain careers and foster advancement even when traditional institutional support falls short.
Looking to connect with other professional women in NYC or access career development resources? Explore the Women.NYC program, find a Lean In Circle, or learn about career advancement strategies and financial planning for working women in our Community section.
