Glass ceiling
What is a glass ceiling in an organizational context?
The term "glass ceiling" was first coined in the 1980s by Gay Bryant, editor of Working Woman magazine, to describe the invisible barrier that prevents women and marginalized groups from promotion to leadership roles. As she explained, “Women have reached a certain point—I call it the glass ceiling. They're at the top of middle management, and they're stopping and getting stuck.”
Who's more affected by the glass ceiling in the workplace?
The glass ceiling affects various marginalized groups, including women, LGBTQ+ individuals, people of color, people with disabilities, people from diverse national background, immigrants, and older workers. These groups face systematic biases, discrimination, and even harassment that can hinder their advancement in the organization, despite their experience and qualifications.
What are the effects of the glass ceiling?
Lack of interest in professional development:
Constant barriers can demotivate individuals from seeking career advancement opportunities.
Decreased engagement and productivity:
When efforts are not recognized, motivation decreases, and this leads to lower engagement.
Low self-esteem:
Constant marginalization can cause employees to doubt themselves.
Reduced job satisfaction:
When employees feel excluded from promotion opportunities, it can lead to them feeling undervalued.
What are the causes of the glass ceiling?
Unconscious bias and stereotypes:
Preconceived notions about gender roles, race, or other identities impact hiring and promotion decisions.
Lack of flexible work arrangements:
Especially for caregivers or parents, lack of work-life balance can hinder career progression.
Limited access to mentorship and sponsorship:
Marginalized employees often lack influential advocates who can support their advancement.
Homogeneous leadership:
When leadership lacks diversity, it often perpetuates itself, closing off opportunities for underrepresented groups.
Cultural barriers and exclusion:
Organizational cultures that don’t support inclusion can alienate marginalized employees.
What are the impacts of the glass ceiling on employee morale?
Disillusionment and frustration:
Employees may feel their efforts are futile.
Sense of isolation:
Being “the only one” or one of few in a group can create emotional strain.
Loss of trust in the organization:
Lack of equitable opportunity can erode trust in leadership and workplace fairness.
Mental health challenges:
Chronic exclusion or discrimination can increase stress, anxiety, and burnout.
How can we eliminate the glass ceiling?
- Implement transparent promotion criteria and ensure accountability in advancement decisions.
- Foster inclusive leadership by building diverse leadership pipelines.
- Promote mentorship and sponsorship programs that focus on underrepresented groups.
- Train leadership and employees on unconscious bias and inclusive practices.
- Offer flexible work policies to support work-life integration for all employees.
- Measure and track diversity metrics to identify gaps and drive change with data.
Are glass ceiling and glass cliff the same?
No, glass ceiling and glass cliff are quite different from each other. "Glass ceiling" refers to the barrier that keeps women and marginalized groups from getting promoted to leadership roles. "Glass cliff" refers to a situation where women or marginalized groups are promoted to leadership positions when there's a likelihood of failure and scrutiny. This mainly focuses on the vulnerability of those who break glass ceilings.