The Alignment Blog

Corporate America’s decade-long march toward gender equity is stalling—and in some areas, reversing. For the first time in the Women in the Workplace study’s history, only half of U.S. companies say women’s career advancement is a high priority. This represents a seismic shift from when women’s advancement was viewed as a strategic imperative

Stepping into your first CHRO role is exhilarating—and can also be brutal.
In 2024, CHRO turnover jumped 36% over the prior year. Meanwhile, 80% of new CHRO appointments were women—the highest rate on record.
Translation: There’s never been more demand for CHROs—and never more pressure.
If you’re not in the room where strategy is set—early, often, and without needing a special invitation—you are not a true C-suite partner. And a CHRO role without real strategic authority is one of the fastest paths to frustration and eventual exit.

Let’s stop pretending burnout is a personal problem. Across industries – healthcare, tech, education, finance – women are burning out at unprecedented rates. Not because they’re not resilient. But because the systems they’re working in are unsustainable. As someone who coaches HR professionals and serves on the Board of Directors for Lean In, I see […]