Glass ceiling facts for kids

A chart showing how much men and women earned with the same education in the USA (2006)

A glass ceiling is a way to describe an invisible barrier. This barrier stops certain groups of people, usually women, from reaching the highest levels in their jobs or organizations.

The idea of a "glass ceiling" was first used by feminists. They used it to talk about the hidden problems that stop successful women from moving up in their careers. In the US, this idea also includes obstacles for minority women and men. Minority women often find it hardest to "break the glass ceiling." This is because they face challenges for being both women and people of color.

Some news groups have created other terms. For example, the "bamboo ceiling" describes problems that East Asian Americans face in their careers. Also, the "canvas ceiling" refers to the many barriers that refugees and asylum seekers face when looking for good jobs.

There are other similar ideas about hidden barriers in the workplace. These ideas describe extra challenges women face, especially when trying to get ahead in their jobs. These challenges often happen at the same time as women are dealing with their family duties outside of work.

The "glass ceiling" means women are stopped from getting to the very top jobs in a company. They are prevented from getting promotions, especially to leadership roles. Even though more women have joined many industries and organizations in the last twenty years, very few have reached the highest positions.

What is a Glass Ceiling?

The US Federal Glass Ceiling Commission says a glass ceiling is "an unseen, but unbreakable barrier." It stops minorities and women from reaching the top jobs in companies. This happens even if they have all the right skills and achievements.

David Cotter and his team listed four main things that show a glass ceiling exists:

• It's a difference between genders or races that can't be explained by a person's job skills.
• This difference is bigger at higher job levels than at lower ones.
• It's an unfair difference in who gets promoted to higher levels, not just how many men or women are already there.
• This unfair difference gets worse as a person's career goes on.

Cotter and his team found that glass ceilings are strongly linked to gender. Both white women and minority women face this barrier in their careers. However, they did not find a glass ceiling for African-American men.

The glass ceiling idea is often used to describe invisible barriers. Women can see the top jobs through this "glass," but they cannot reach them. These barriers stop many women and minority groups from getting the most powerful, respected, and highest-paying jobs. This also puts women at a disadvantage when they are considered for promotions.

History of the Term

In 1839, a French writer named George Sand used a similar phrase. She wrote about "an impenetrable crystal vault" in her play Gabriel. This phrase described a woman's dream of flying, but then falling because of this invisible barrier.

The exact term "Glass ceiling" was used by Marilyn Loden in a speech in 1978. According to the Wall Street Journal in 2015, Maryanne Schriber and Katherine Lawrence at Hewlett-Packard first used the term in 1978. Lawrence explained the idea at a meeting in Washington DC. They defined it as unfair promotion patterns. Even if the written rules say promotions are fair, in practice, qualified women are denied them.

Later, in March 1984, Gay Bryant used the term. She was the editor of Working Woman magazine. She told Adweek that "Women have reached a certain point—I call it the glass ceiling." She said women get stuck in middle management and can't move higher. Bryant also used the term in a book chapter that same year.

A well-known article in Wall Street Journal in March 1986 used the term in its title. The article was called "The Glass Ceiling: Why Women Can't Seem to Break The Invisible Barrier That Blocks Them From the Top Jobs." It said the glass ceiling was a hidden problem. It existed to keep top leadership jobs for white men.

As the term "Glass Ceiling" became more common, people had different ideas about it. Some thought it was a myth. They argued that women chose to stay home or were less committed to getting top jobs. Because of this debate, the US Labor Department started a project. It was called "The Glass Ceiling Initiative." This project looked into why so few women and minorities were in leadership roles. The report defined the term as "artificial barriers." These barriers are based on unfair attitudes or company rules. They stop qualified people from moving up into management jobs.

In 1991, the US Congress created the Glass Ceiling Commission. This group had 21 members and was led by Secretary of Labor Robert Reich. Its job was to study the barriers that stop minorities and women from moving up in companies. The commission did a lot of research. They surveyed people, held public meetings, and did interviews. In 1995, they released a report called "Good for Business." This report gave clear ideas and solutions on how to overcome these barriers. The commission wanted to give advice on how to "shatter" the glass ceiling in business. The report gave 12 recommendations to improve workplaces. These included increasing diversity and reducing unfair treatment through new rules.

The number of women CEOs in the Fortune Lists has grown between 1998 and 2020. However, the number of women working globally actually went down from 52.4% to 49.6% between 1995 and 2015. In 2014, only 19.2% of the board seats in the S&P 500 were held by women. Most of these women (80.2%) were white.

Glass Ceiling Index

In 2017, the Economist magazine updated its glass-ceiling index. This index combines information on education, work participation, pay, childcare costs, and how many women are in senior jobs. The countries with the least inequality were Iceland, Sweden, Norway, Finland, and Poland.

Gender Stereotypes

A 2001 Gallup Poll showed that men were seen as more aggressive, and women as more emotional.

A 1993 report found that women have the same education chances as men. However, the Glass Ceiling still exists. This is because of unfair systems, low numbers of women in top jobs, and stereotypes. Sexist stereotypes are a big reason why women are often stopped from getting good opportunities in their chosen fields. Most Americans think women are more emotional and men are more aggressive. These ideas about gender affect who employers choose as leaders. They also affect how male and female workers are treated.

Another stereotype is the "gender status belief." This idea claims that men are better and smarter than women. This helps explain why men often have higher positions in careers. This belief leads to ideas about "men's jobs" and "women's jobs." So, men are expected to have more work skills and are hired for top jobs. These stereotypes about women contribute to the glass ceiling they face at work.

Gender stereotyping means thinking that men are better than women in management and leadership roles. It suggests that women are not as good and are better suited for roles like mother and wife. This type of thinking harms women's success and rights. It is even more damaging in the workplace in societies where men hold most of the power. It creates an invisible but strong barrier for women. Men are often put in the highest positions because they are seen as better leaders. Women, however, get stuck in lower or middle-level jobs.

For example, women who work hard to break these barriers and earn a leadership role are often seen as either "competent" or "warm," but never both. This is because a successful woman is often stereotyped as being tough, competitive, and cold. But a woman who is warm and caring might be seen as not having the right skills for leadership.

Hiring Practices

When women leave their jobs to start their own businesses, they tend to hire other women. Men tend to hire other men. These hiring practices can remove the "glass ceiling" in those specific businesses. This is because there is no longer competition based on gender. This also supports the idea of "men's work" and "women's work."

Around the World

Few women reach top positions in society. Organizations are still mostly led by men. Studies show that the glass ceiling still exists in different ways in many countries and regions. Stereotypes that women are emotional and sensitive are key reasons why women struggle to break the glass ceiling.

It is clear that societies, even with different cultures and beliefs, often have similar expectations for women. These female stereotypes are often stronger in societies that have traditional views of women. However, ideas and views about women are slowly changing around the world. This is also helping to reduce gender separation in organizations.

Related Concepts

Glass Escalator

There's a similar idea called the "glass escalator." When more men join jobs that were mostly done by women, like nursing or teaching, men often get promoted faster. They get more opportunities than women. It's like men are taking escalators while women are taking the stairs. For example, men often get higher positions in schools, like deans or principals, even though teaching has been a female-dominated job.

Men can benefit financially from their gender in jobs mostly done by women. They often "reap the benefits" of being a minority in these fields to reach higher levels.

A 2008 study found that in nursing, men and women often choose different areas of work. Male nurses tend to specialize in areas seen as "masculine." The study noted that men face strong social pressure to avoid jobs mostly done by women. This is because female-dominated jobs are often seen as more feminine. So, men who enter these jobs might be seen as "effeminate or homosexual."

Sticky Floors

The idea of "sticky floors" is similar to the glass ceiling. Sticky floors mean that women, compared to men, are less likely to start climbing the job ladder. This problem is about differences in pay at the lower end of jobs. Studies have found evidence of sticky floors in countries like Australia, Belgium, Italy, Thailand, and the United States.

The Frozen Middle

Like the sticky floor, the "frozen middle" describes how women's careers slow down or stop in middle management. This term first meant that middle managers resisted orders from top management. But now, because more women are in the workforce, "frozen middle" often refers to women's careers slowing down in middle management.

A 1996 study found that social groups and networks in businesses often favor men. They are based on "good old boys" networks and male ways of acting. Women who did not act in typical masculine ways, like being aggressive or not showing emotions, were at a disadvantage. As more men are in upper management, women have fewer female mentors. This makes it harder for them to move up. The frozen middle affects women in many fields and countries, including the US and Malaysia.

Second Shift

The "second shift" means that women often have a greater total workload. This is not just doing more housework. It includes all the tasks outside of their paid job, especially those related to being a mother. Depending on where they live, family income, education, and background, women often do work a "second shift." This means they have more total work, even if it's not always obvious.

Research from as early as 1956 looked at men and women working in both paid and unpaid jobs. It suggested that men and women could have equal time for family and other activities outside of work. This "second shift" can also affect women's health. Women who work long hours to balance career and family often face more mental health problems. These include depression and anxiety. They might also feel more irritable, have less energy, and other emotional issues. Women's overall happiness can improve if they find a good balance between work and home duties.

Mommy Track

The "Mommy Track" refers to women who put their careers aside to focus on their families. Women often have long work hours, which makes it hard to balance work and family. Some research suggests that women can work part-time and still manage family activities. This research also suggests that flexible work arrangements help achieve a healthy work-life balance.

There is also a difference in the cost and effort of having children for women in higher-skilled jobs compared to those in lower-skilled jobs. This difference often leads women to delay their career goals for many years.

Concrete Floor

The term concrete floor refers to the minimum number or percentage of women needed for a government cabinet or company board to be seen as fair and proper.

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See also

In Spanish: Techo de cristal para niños