By Sunidhi Gupta

Abstract

‘Glass Ceiling’ is a metaphor used to refer to the barriers which women and people of marginalized groups face when they try to climb the ladder of professional success. This article aims to understand the concept, what factors lead to this and the impact that has to be borne especially by ‘women’. It also deals with different ways in which this can be battled and that ‘glass ceiling’ is not just a term but how there are various other effects relevant.

INTRODUCTION

‘Glass Ceiling’ is a metaphoric term used to describe the invisible barriers which women and marginalized groups face in the workplace, with an extra emphasis on ‘invisible’. The barriers that exist are not official or corporate policies, but are rather biases entrenched in organizational hierarchies which do not support a person’s advancement to senior managerial positions. Another thing worth emphasizing is that the term ‘glass ceiling’ caters not only to women who face such biases at work but also to underrepresented groups in the workplace. 

HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE

During a panel discussion on ‘women in the workplace’ in 1978, writer and consultant, Marilyn Loden coined the phrase “glass ceiling.” Loden talked about the cultural barriers that women must overcome if they want to advance from middle-management jobs to higher leadership or executive positions. The Working Woman Report, a book published in 1984, an Adweek profile on Gay Bryant, and a Wall Street Journal story on the subject in 1986 all contributed to the term’s increased use in the middle of the 1980s. Following the time since this term was coined there have been notable gains on the work front with respect to women. Data states that in the USA the number of employed women increased to 74 million in 2022 in comparison to less than 54 million working in 1990.

It cannot be said that there has been no progress in terms of the glass ceiling effect. But things are still far from equity and equality. Data states that in 2022, the median earnings of women were only 83 per cent of the men’s median earnings and women occupied CEO positions in less than 9 per cent of the Fortune 500 companies around the world which is far from success in diminishing barriers. Women are frequently pushed into professions that expose them to economic downturns; during the most recent recession, more than a million women left the workforce. Globally, 86 nations restrict women’s employment opportunities, while 95 nations still do not guarantee equal pay. 

FACTORS LEADING TO GLASS CEILING

There are various factors which determine the existence of the glass ceiling effect in businesses which are impossible to ignore. There are gender roles, gender biases, sexual harassment and other unconscious biases that women face in the workplace. According to social constructions specific to many cultures, gender roles are ascribed to people at the time of sex identification. Women are frequently encouraged to seek caregiving responsibilities because they are supposed to be kind, understanding, and caring. Women still do the majority of domestic tasks despite their desire for a career. Women who seek to climb the corporate ladder and compete for employment against males, who don’t have the same expectations, frequently experience increased stress and anxiety from juggling these duties. 

Another factor which leads to the glass ceiling effect is gender bias. The tendency to prefer one gender over another is referred to as gender bias. This bias affects women negatively in a very significant manner. According to a 2017 Pew Research poll,  22% of men and 42% of women experienced gender-based discrimination at work. For women of colour, the situation is much worse; 51% of them report having encountered racism and prejudice.  The way that people view women plays a significant role in how they are treated. As to the findings of Lean In’s Women in the Workplace research, female executives are twice as likely as their male counterparts to be misidentified as lower-level employees. Women have a tougher time achieving and thriving in positions of authority because of these prejudices. Sexual harassment is also responsible for the glass ceiling effect to exist. Of the 27,291 sexual harassment complaints that were submitted to the US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission between 2018 and 2021, 78% were made by women. Furthermore, 59% of women report having been the victims of sexual harassment and microaggressions at work. 

Additionally, there are other unconscious biases, the brunt of which women have to face. It is in our tendency to like and be drawn to people who seem, feel, and have similar interests to ourselves. This is particularly valid when interacting with someone for the first time. Research indicates that even in the absence of an in-person meeting, people are noticeably more likely to like a stranger if they have anything in common. Recruiters, HR specialists, recruiting managers, and executives see this very situation almost daily. They base their hiring and promotion decisions on the scant information they have from the resumes, performance reports, and recommendation letters of individuals whom they may not know personally. Women are left vulnerable to unjust preconceptions that might erode their professional prospects when they act as though underlying presumptions don’t matter.

BREAKING THE GLASS CEILING

Shattering this glass ceiling requires changes in the system followed at the workplace. The conversations towards this might be complicated but there is a need to implement it for a better environment. These methods include conducting blind screenings, implementing regular bias and stereotype training and setting diverse hiring and promotional goals. Blind applications help reduce the unconscious bias that exists during employee scrutiny. Information regarding a candidate’s name, hobbies, and experiences irrelevant to the position are not included in blind screenings as they might expose their gender, race, or ethnicity. There is data which states that blind application has led to women’s increased chances of getting jobs by 25 to 46 per cent. According to research, resumes with names that sounded black were 10% less likely to be called back, than resumes with names that sound white. Blind screenings reduce inherent biases that arise from looking over the resumes of strangers and are a quick and easy method of comparing applicants based on their experiences and skill sets.

Unconscious bias training or the involvement of a diversity and inclusion specialist can start conversations that individuals are unwilling to start or are unclear of how to begin and help deal with the glass ceiling effect. It might be difficult to talk about implicit biases when the team is diverse and has a range of experiences and viewpoints that will inevitably come up. They will feel less pressure and the talks will be inclusive and fruitful with an expert. Since managers and executives are the ones who hire and promote people, extra training should be provided to them. The members of the leadership team can assist individual contributors in every facet of their professional development. Additionally, it is also important that there is a diverse set of hiring and promoting goals. This can be done by assessing the demographic setting and diversity of the company and documenting the same. 

Request anonymous input from your staff on instances of prejudice, harassment, small aggressions, and obstacles encountered both generally and especially at your business. With the aid of this data, you will be able to establish a precise benchmark for your current position and plan the next steps towards increasing diversity and shattering the glass ceiling in your organization.

CONCLUSION

Thus, it can be concluded that it is important to foster a sense of equality at every level of the company to break the invisible glass ceiling. It has to be ensured that any staff development programs offered have a balanced representation of women and minorities. If women predominate in your field, actively recruit them. To put it briefly, by eliminating prejudices and preconceptions, cultivating a true culture of gender and colour-blind coherence inside the organization can be beneficial in the long term. 

Author’s Bio

Sunidhi Gupta is a fourth-year BA.LLB (Hons) student at Jindal Global Law School.  

Image Source: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/how-glass-ceiling-effects-mental-health-suvam-shakya