The glass ceiling theory will be widely examined here in this blog post. Recently we published another blog post on the glass ceiling theory and as it is one of the most important subjects of employee experience here we are with another one!
Women in the business sector suffer unseen hurdles that are not explicitly defined, despite the fact that many developed nations and international organizations have established different measures for equal opportunity in the corporate world regardless of gender. The term “Glass Ceiling Discrimination” refers to a kind of workplace sexism in which qualified women are unfairly prevented from rising through the ranks.
The term “glass ceiling” refers to the invisible barriers that women face when they advance through the ranks of an organization. Another description of “Glass Ceiling theory” describes it as the “systemic exclusion of qualified women from top-level management positions in public, private, and nonprofit organizations due to their gender.” All countries have this issue but to varying degrees.
What Causes a Glass Ceiling Theory to Develop?
It’s important to remember that not all forms of bias qualify as glass ceiling bias. There are a few prerequisites for the emergence of the glass ceiling theory:
- There must be a significant gender and/or racial gap that is not mitigated by the applicant’s other skills and experience in the role.
- In order to achieve diversity in leadership roles, it is preferable to have more women and people of different races in such roles than in lesser roles.
- Not only should there be racial and gender distribution gaps in those jobs, but there should also be gaps in the chance of achieving them.
- At a later point in one’s profession, discrimination on the basis of race or gender is warranted.
In accordance with these standards, studies have indicated that women of color, as well as white women, experience discrimination in the workplace; however, prejudice against African-American males was not seen in the research in question.
The Glass Lift and Bias Men Are Facing
Men have also been increasingly involved in traditionally “female-dominated” (or dominated by women) areas including education, nursing, and social work in response to current calls for gender parity.
Surprisingly, however, males who join these industries quickly advance in the hierarchical structure of these fields, but women who enter male-dominated fields may advance considerably more slowly, if at all.
A glass elevator is a metaphor for the way in which males choose to use an elevator while women prefer to take the stairs.
One major issue is that males who try to break into roles that have historically been held by women are sometimes met with hostility and derision by their peers. As a result, many males are reluctant to engage and may struggle to advance in sectors where women predominate. Men working in these industries may face stereotypes of being “feminine” or “gay”.
How Can We Help Women Finally Succeed in the Workplace?
The first step towards shattering a glass ceiling theory is realizing that you have one. No matter how hard you try, it will be almost impossible to overcome these obstacles on your own. If you discover discriminatory practices like glass ceilings at work, it’s time to start raising awareness among your coworkers. It is impossible to find a solution to an issue if no one is willing to discuss it. Having a conversation about the issue is the first and most crucial step in finding a solution, but it won’t fix the problem on its own.
Those who have been successful in shattering the glass ceiling theory should remember those who came after them. Simply said, if more women tried and succeeded in breaking the glass barrier, it would be simpler for the next generation of women to do so as well. As we’ve already discussed, it’s crucial to be conscious of the fact that studies have shown that women in powerful positions frequently reinforce the glass ceilings they’ve smashed.
There are several suggestions for dealing with glass-ceiling discrimination and shattering existing barriers. When “privileged” organizations were compared to 57 others that did not succeed in smashing glass ceilings, it was revealed that the former group followed the 10 principles below. (source)
- Form an autonomous group to address issues of particular concern to women.
- Make sure that people in power understand the aims and objectives of the women’s rights movement.
- Ensure that women have a voice in labor organizations that focus on women’s problems.
- Organizations that focus on women’s rights should actively recruit women from underrepresented groups.
- Include women’s concerns in your institution’s regular polls and surveys.
- Construct groups where women from underrepresented groups may get support from one another.
- Managers’ actions affecting women’s advancement in the workplace should be included in the performance review process, and those who make such decisions should be held responsible.
- Establish procedures to track down women with promising futures.
- Give leaders in women’s movements more influence.
- Instruct supervisors about the value of diversity in the workplace.
Moreover, “blind recruitment tests” should be administered to monitor the fairness of recruiting methods and guarantee that people in a position to hire have no inherent prejudices or are aware of any such biases and have been trained to overcome them. It’s also important to make sure the office culture doesn’t foster a negative attitude towards minorities by providing anti-bias training to staff and facilitating discussions on implicit bias.
Of fact, institutions’ own efforts at course correction are unlikely to be sufficient to address a long-standing issue. Other than participating in civil movements that will strengthen minorities’ access to equality and help them make up for a lost time, bringing attention to this problem, and expecting change from the institutions we are a part of, it will be important to examine our own actions and determine what needs to be done.
How Can We Help You Here at Empactivo?
Empactivo is an app for the employee experience that aims to enhance the lines of communication between employers and employees. It’s an effective method for bridging the gap between employees and managers, which may lead to a decrease in bias and the eventual breaking of the glass ceiling. Empactivo provides a confidential channel for staff to voice their opinions and suggestions to management. This may make the workplace fairer for every employee by removing obstacles in the way of their rising in their careers. Empactivo’s embrace of diversity helps to eliminate discrimination in the workplace and boosts morale by encouraging employees to voice their opinions and concerns. Try it out today!