The workplace needs women, but the broken rung at the management first step often stops women from advancing. Even when they get to the first step, they face barriers to advancement. Removing those barriers can begin by re-evaluating both job design and the HR policies and procedures on which it is built.

The higher up the leadership ladder you look, the fewer women are found. The broken rung at the first step of the ladder has a lot to do with it, because women are stopped from advancing into management positions for many reasons. A leaky pipeline is another reason, meaning that women get into management only to drop out. Even when they do continue to climb, women a....