A lack of visibility and unclear career options in the workplace are two of the key factors holding women back from their next promotion. That’s what we uncovered last year when Women’s Agenda teamed up with Cultivate Sponsorship to conduct a survey on women’s career progression, and the factors that are limiting progression and promotion at work.
Some of the most interesting findings? Forty-three per cent of women reported that unclear career options are a key barrier to their next promotion, while nearly a third of women feel their lack of visibility is stopping them from getting promoted.
It also identifies sponsorship as one of the key initiatives that organisations can put in place to unlock career advancement for women and minorities, address hidden barriers and build more equitable workplaces.
One woman who can speak to the impact of sponsorship on her career first-hand is Jade Singleton, Group Lead, Resources + Industry, Western Australia at infrastructure consulting firm AECOM.
Singleton took part in the Cultivate Sponsorship program through her workplace in 2024, and says the program supported her to gain a better understanding of the career pathways available to her and how senior leaders in the business execute their work.
She also says it was a great way for the women who took part in the program to boost their visibility among senior leaders.
“As part of the program, you get connected with a senior leader, and it’s a really impactful process. We had one-on-one sessions, group sessions, and we got to do a ‘day in the life’ experience where I flew from Perth to Melbourne to shadow my sponsor for two days,” Singleton says.
“You shadow your sponsor and have the chance to attend their meetings, Teams meetings and calls, and you get to experience all the conversations and topics covered. And you can really observe different leaders, so not just the one you’re shadowing, but the others they’re interacting with, sometimes from around the world.”
Singleton says the ‘day in the life’ exercise had a positive ripple effect on the team she leads, as she was also able to share their thoughts and voices with a senior AECOM leader.
Meanwhile, simply meeting the cohort and taking part in the Cultivate Sponsorship program at the kick-off event in Brisbane was fabulous for increasing Singleton’s connections and visibility across the business.
“We had the opportunity to meet each other face-to-face at the kick-off workshops, and we enjoyed dinner with all the senior leaders who were sponsors through the program. A panel of past participants were also there to give us tips and tricks, sharing their journey through this program and beyond,” Singleton says.
“We not only met our sponsor, who is a senior leader at AECOM, but also the other 10 sponsors that work across the business. So that was really good for growing our network, our connections and learning about other areas of the business.”
Katriina Tähkä, Managing Director of Cultivate Sponsorship believes the sponsor’s active involvement in the program is the “secret ingredient” that makes the program so powerful.
“The senior leaders are given guidance on how to be a real sponsor (as opposed to a mentor or coach). They then walk side by side with their sponsorship partner learning about each other, seeing the business through someone else’s eyes and sponsors get to hear why some people can feel left behind,” Tähkä said.
“It is a two-way learning journey that impacts both participants and requires them to approach it with a bit of bravery and an open mind.”
Building a career progression plan
The program also supported Singleton in developing her own career progression plan.
“I was able to take the time to think about what’s my next step? What’s my future? What do I aspire to, and what do I know I’m good at? Which of those roles fits me best? Where are my gaps and how can I best work towards gaining that knowledge? And then it helps you create your career progression plan,” she said.
“In the online modules, you identify and understand your own strengths and weaknesses, where you want to improve and then ultimately get to a point where you can finalise what your aspirations are, who can help you within the business to get there, and how you measure it.”
Tähkä says she regularly hears from alumni of the program who say that they grew in their awareness and confidence over the six months.
“Leaders are often shocked by what they learnt about their business and commit to role modelling a sponsorship mindset more broadly,” she explains.
“This approach balances the equation between leaders and aspiring leaders. There is no need for invisibility to be a factor in holding back gender equality.”
In an upcoming webinar, Cultivate Sponsorship will unpack how sponsorship can be a game-changing strategy to support organisations in unlocking real progress in career development and talent retention.
The webinar will also discuss another key finding from the research, which uncovered a gap in internal workplace support for women’s career aspirations. Most women (64 per cent) tell their friends outside of work or immediate family (557 per cent) about their career goals, rather than speak openly about it in the workplace.
Singleton says the opportunity to be more open about career pathways and to connect with colleagues she otherwise might not have met was a highlight of the Cultivate Sponsorship program.
“You get to learn more about people in the business, but also they’re learning about you,” she explained.
“The more that people can see you or hear about you, know your skill sets and what you can bring to the table, the greater chance you have to be considered , offered, or tapped on the shoulder, for further opportunities.”
Meanwhile, Singleton developed a rapport with a senior leader, which was an invaluable outcome.
“If anyone gets the chance to be a part of a sponsorship program, I would absolutely recommend it. You get to form quite a close relationship with your senior manager and it’s really important to supporting your career development,” she said.
“It’s a six-month formal program; however, when you’ve built up a rapport with that person, you will feel more comfortable being able to call them and chat with them about anything in the future.”
An upcoming webinar hosted by Cultivate Sponsorship will unpack the research findings in detail and explore actionable strategies for employers looking to tackle the hidden barriers holding women back in their careers.
Join Cultivate Sponsorship on Tuesday, 25 February at 12pm AEDT for a webinar unpacking hidden barriers to women’s career progression. More details here.
* Research insights are drawn from a national survey of Australian women conducted by Women’s Agenda in October 2024.