The inclusion illusion hides the gap in corporate advancement

Nearly half of women say company culture is the main barrier to professional advancement. Consulting and recruitment firm SALT’s 2026 Workplace Progress Report notes that “a growing gap is emerging between rising perceptions of inclusion and the slower pace of structural change.” Fifty-seven percent say women are still underrepresented in leadership and an overwhelming two-thirds say workplace flexibility would make the biggest difference. “Culture sets the tone for everything,” SALT APAC CEO and founder Jacqui Barratt says. “If culture is the primary barrier, meaningful progress in removing or dismantling other barriers becomes significantly harder.”