The Glass Ceiling Isn’t An Issue Of Experience—It’s An Issue Of Care

Stop Blaming Women For Workplace Inequality

I have been numb—unable to write—since Donald Trump was sworn in as President of the United States on January 20, 2025. You may have read that the U.S. has now been placed on a humanitarian watchlist following the rollback of civil liberties—many of which directly impact care infrastructures for children, women, and families, including childcare, education, Medicaid, and Medicare.

But today, after coming across it for the third time, I could no longer stay silent. Harvard Business Review’s latest article, How Women Can Win in the Workplace, written by Kweilin Ellingrud, Lareina Yee and María del Mar Martínez, is yet another out-of-touch, patronizing attempt to frame women as the problem—this time blaming our lack of upward mobility on an alleged deficit in ‘experience capital.’

Women have already done more than enough. We have met men, the workplace, and society more than halfway. And yet, we’re still being told that the burden is on us—that we must work even harder, move more strategically, and prove ourselves yet again. As if we haven’t already been outperforming men in education, breaking barriers, and stretching ourselves to the limit for decades.

And isn’t it cute how these authors conveniently skip over—or willfully ignore— the other work that keeps women shackled in place? The unpaid care work that holds up society: caregiving, household management, emotional labor—the invisible load that falls almost entirely on women’s shoulders.

The reality is, women aren’t just doing their jobs—we are doing two, three, sometimes four jobs at once. And still, somehow, it’s on us to ‘win’ in the workplace?

Let’s be serious for a moment: this argument is not just flawed; it’s offensive. Women are not stagnating because they lack experience capital. They are stagnating because workplaces, policies, and societal structures were never designed to accommodate them in the first place. And rather than addressing that, this article doubles down on the same tired narrative: Women, do more. Women, work harder. Women, be strategic. Women, prove your worth—again.

Women Have Made the Big, Bold Moves. It’s Men and the System That Need to Move.

The authors argue that women should be making 'big, bold moves' to accumulate more experience capital. What do they think women have been doing for the last 40 years? Women have taken career risks, moved across industries, taken on leadership roles, and pursued advanced degrees at record rates. And yet, for all of our efforts, the gender gap remains firmly in place. Why? Because no amount of ‘bold moves’ will change the fact that the workplace was built for men who have full-time caregivers at home.

The glass ceiling isn’t an issue of experience—it’s an issue of care. Women are still the primary caregivers in their households. They are the ones who scale back when childcare is unaffordable or unavailable. They are the ones who step up when aging parents need support. Until men step into care at home at the same rate that women have stepped into the workforce, women will continue to be held back. That is the real experience capital gap—men’s lack of experience in unpaid labor.

Stop Telling Women to “Find the Right Company”—Make Companies the Right Place for Women

The article suggests that women should focus on finding companies with ‘strong learning cultures’ and ‘high mobility.’ This is rich coming from a corporate world that still barely offers paid parental leave, has rampant pregnancy discrimination, and actively penalizes women for taking time off to care for their families.

Women shouldn’t have to go on a corporate scavenger hunt to find the one ‘good’ company that supports their careers and caregiving responsibilities. Companies should be required to create workplaces where women can thrive. This means:

• Mandatory paid parental leave—for both men and women.

• Subsidized childcare or on-site childcare facilities.

• Flexible work policies that don’t punish caregivers.

• Leadership accountability for closing gender pay and promotion gaps.

The reality is, if companies actually prioritized women’s success, they would be forcing men into caregiving conversations and making care a workplace priority—not pushing women to find mythical ‘progressive’ companies while the rest of the corporate world remains unchanged.

“Women Must Earn Their Seat at the Table” – Really? Haven’t We Done That Already?

The article argues that women need to “position themselves in the power alley” by seeking leadership and P&L roles. Again, we have done that. But let’s talk about what happens when women get there:

• They are held to higher standards. Women must prove their competence over and over again, while men are promoted based on potential.

• They are penalized for ambition. A man is seen as a strong leader; a woman is seen as aggressive or unlikable.

• They are less likely to be mentored or sponsored. Men in power prefer to sponsor other men, leaving women without crucial career-boosting opportunities.

• They are punished for motherhood. Women with children earn less, while fathers earn more. This isn’t about experience; it’s about systemic bias.

If women have to work twice as hard to get half as far, the problem is not us. It’s the system. We don’t need more experience capital. We need men, policies, and institutions to do their part.

The Real Advice We Need to Hear: It’s Time to Demand More from Men, Workplaces, and Governments

So, what’s the real takeaway here? Not ‘women should do more’—but rather: men, companies, and policymakers should do more.

• Men need to take on equal caregiving responsibilities. The real bottleneck to women’s career growth is that men are not stepping up at home. Until that changes, women will continue to be overburdened with unpaid labor.

• Companies need to overhaul outdated work structures. Parental leave, flexible work, and pay equity should be non-negotiable. Stop making women ‘prove’ their worth.

• Governments need to legislate care-friendly policies. Affordable childcare, paid parental leave, and policies that make caregiving a shared responsibility are essential.

Women have done more than enough. We have taken the risks. We have gained the degrees. We have made the bold moves. All while caring for children, aging parents, our schools, churches, and community. The real question is: When will men, companies, and governments finally meet us where we are?

Until then, let’s retire the narrative that women need to work harder, be more strategic, or accumulate more experience capital. Women are not the problem. The system is. And it’s long past time for the real stakeholders to take responsibility.

I’m back! The patriarchy hates to see me coming. Let’s get to work.

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The Care Gap is authored by Blessing Oyeleye Adesiyan, CEO + Founder of The Care Gap and Caring Africa, a Care Economist, Technologist, and Policy Expert, combining the power of storytelling, research, and advocacy to strengthen families, workplaces, and economies + advance the global care economy.