Breaking the glass ceiling: from workplace discrimination to gender pay gap
- Viola Marchetti
- Jan 13, 2020
- 4 min read
Statistics, surveys and reports provide the same, unequivocal result: glass ceiling in the workplace is still a big issue.
What is glass ceiling? The glass ceiling effect is described as a “metaphor referring to an artificial barrier that prevents women and minorities from being promoted to managerial and executive level positions within an organization.”
It is uncertain exactly who named the phenomenon, but the term was widely used during the mid-1980s. Obviously, the first group affected by this problem are the women. In particular, the women who entered the workforce in large numbers during the late 1970s and early 1980s found themselves unable to advance beyond a certain level of management. Nowadays is unimaginable how pervasive the glass ceiling still is, even several years into the 21st century.
The survey of 3,000 members of the Institute of Leadership and Management (ILM) found 73% of female respondents felt barriers still existed for women seeking senior management and board-level positions in the UK. In contrast, just 38% of men believed there is a glass ceiling. Moreover, A 2003 report by the federal Glass Ceiling Commission showed that only seven to nine percent of upper management at Fortune 1000 firms were women. According to a 2005 article by Paul Igasak on the Wall Street Journal’s Career Journal site, a similar study showed that 97 percent of top executives at the same companies were white.
It is undeniable that the effect of glass ceiling is extremely persistent throughout all sorts of industries.
In addition, one related issue is gender pay gap. As gender pay gap starts from the time women enter the workforce, it has been impacted women’s level of economic security as well as significantly contributed to the development of glass ceiling in the workplace.
Unfortunately, there are no guaranteed strategies that will help an individual break through the glass ceiling. Although there are certainly exceptions to every rule, by and large both women and minorities should expect that their climb to the top will be difficult. You may need to prove yourself twice as much as your male coworkers, especially if you happen to be both female and a minority. Take on extra assignments, particularly those that are high-profile. Make a point of bonding with the supervisor a level up from your own. Document all of your achievements and present them succinctly at each review.
Become a part of the managerial network, even if it feels a bit too “boys club” for your tastes. In short, prove that you are not only highly qualified, but that you are one of them.
Alternatively, consider working for a female-owned company or start your own. There are a lot of grant programs that are specifically designed to help female-owned businesses get off the ground. If you choose to work for a female-owned company, however, remember that this is no guarantee that your struggles will be any less. Some women who become successful develop a hard edge and bitterness and feel that they clawed their way to the top and so should every woman after them. Of course, other female top executives feel the exact opposite and strive to make things easier for women who follow.
Likewise, many top male executives enjoy the status quo and relish their position of power and have personal biases against women who try to intrude on what they see as their territory. Other top male executives see the system as antiquated and unfair and actively strive to break the glass ceiling from above. In short, whether your company is dominated by men or women at the top ranks, personalities are individual and varied. Your path to the top will be unique and will require that you read the situation and work within the system as much as possible.
What Can Employers Do to Fight the Glass Ceiling Effect?
If you are in a top position at a company that appears to suffer from the glass ceiling effect, you may wonder what you can do to break down the barrier.
Unfortunately, there are so few top-level positions and the competition is so fierce, final hiring decisions invariably come down to personal feelings. Short of imposing quotas, which can set you up for reverse discrimination lawsuits, there is relatively little you can do. Foster an air of equality at every level of the company. Be sure that women and minorities are fairly represented in any employee development programs that may exist. Actively recruit women if yours if a male-dominated field. Require sensitivity training. In short, fostering a real spirit of gender-blind and color-blind cohesion throughout the company can help in the long run by erasing stereotypes and biases.
The glass ceiling effect was first studied in the 1980s and seems to have changed very little in the 20 years that followed. Nonetheless, many companies and activists are working together on the situation. Maintain your focus, be pro-active in determining your own career path and expect that at many companies you will be in for a fight. Change may be happening at a glacial pace, but it is happening. Believe in yourself and work towards your goals. In tandem with others doing the same thing, you can bring about real change in the workplace.
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