The invisible barrier that limits the growth of certain groups is called the glass ceiling .
The glass ceiling is an invisible but real barrier that limits the advancement of women and other underrepresented groups within an organization, preventing them from accessing positions of greater power or responsibility, despite their abilities or achievements. This term highlights the structural and cultural inequalities that perpetuate discrimination in work environments.
Examples of glass ceiling
Lack of gender representation
Although many women have the same qualifications and experience as their male colleagues, there is a notable gender gap in senior management positions, such as CEOs or executive board members. In large corporations, it is common for only a small proportion of these positions to be held by women.
Less access to power networks
Women often have less access to high-level networks that facilitate promotion or career advancement. These networks, dominated by men, are often critical to the development of career opportunities and decision making.
Gender pay gap
In many sectors, women not only face difficulties in accessing leadership positions, but also receive lower salaries for equivalent jobs, evidencing a form of economic glass ceiling.
Gender stereotypes in leadership
The perception that men are better suited to lead or make decisions makes it difficult for women to access positions of power, especially in sectors traditionally dominated by men, such as technology or engineering.
Motherhood and career
Women who are mothers face additional barriers, such as the perception that their commitment to work decreases, which limits their possibilities for promotion within companies.
The glass ceiling fuels the prejudice that pregnancy decreases work performance and commitment.
In the work context
The glass ceiling in the workplace is a structural manifestation of gender inequality , which prevents women and other underrepresented groups from achieving positions of power and leadership within organizations. Although it is not always directly visible, there are ways to identify it, and its impact on one's career is profound.
How to identify the glass ceiling
The glass ceiling manifests itself in several forms:
- little female representation in executive or managerial positions, despite having highly trained women at intermediate levels;
- unequal promotions , meaning that women and other underrepresented groups do not advance at the same pace as their male colleagues;
- wage inequality between men and women in equivalent positions;
- lack of equal opportunity and diversity policies on the boards of directors of large companies.
Impact on professional career
The barriers imposed by the glass ceiling negatively affect career paths, limiting the growth of women and other marginalized groups. When faced with obstacles to accessing leadership positions, these people experience a more difficult overcoming of professional barriers , which affects both their personal development and the performance of organizations. The lack of diversity at senior decision-making levels also perpetuates employment discrimination and restricts innovation.
Contributing factors
There are multiple factors that reinforce the permanence of the glass ceiling:
- gender bias , leading to erroneous assumptions about women's leadership ability;
- lack of gender diversity policies , which perpetuates exclusion and inequality in hiring and promotion processes;
- traditional stereotypes , which tend to associate leadership and decision-making with masculine characteristics.
How to combat the glass ceiling
To overcome the glass ceiling, it is necessary to implement strategies focused on equity and inclusion. Some ways to combat it include:
- equal opportunity policies , which ensure fair selection and promotion processes;
- implementation of inclusion strategies , such as mentoring, training against unconscious bias and programs that promote gender equity;
- Support for gender diversity policies at all levels of the organization.
Fighting the glass ceiling requires a joint effort, from both companies and governments, to guarantee true equality of opportunity in the work environment.
Women's participation in sports is still much lower than that of men, one of the consequences of the glass ceiling.
Equality in various areas
The movement towards gender equality has had a profound impact in areas such as education, science, art, sports and entertainment, promoting the empowerment of women and recognizing their contributions in all spheres of society.
Equality in education and academia
Access to equality in education has been one of the pillars of feminism, since academic training is essential for life in society. Although significant progress has been made in many countries, barriers persist in accessing educational opportunities for girls and women, especially in rural areas or developing countries.
The fight for equality in academia also advocates increasing female participation in areas where women have historically been underrepresented, such as science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (this is often referred to as gender discrimination in STEM ).
Equality in science
Despite progress, equality in science still faces challenges due to gender stereotypes and the lack of professional networks that support the growth of female scientists. Its recognition is essential to foster diversity of thought, which in turn drives innovation and advancement in scientific knowledge.
Equality in art and media
In the field of art and media, the representation and recognition of women has also been limited. The fight for equality in art focuses on giving greater visibility to female artists and creators, and combating the gender biases that still persist in cultural institutions. In this context, the issue of gender and media is crucial, since the media influences social perception and plays a key role in the cultural change towards equality.
Equality in sports and entertainment
Equity in sport has been one of the main demands of women's rights movements, as women have fought for recognition of their talent and access to the same opportunities and conditions as men. Gender parity in competitions, funding and media coverage remains a challenge, although there has been significant progress, especially with the growth of women's football and other sports.
In entertainment, the role of women has also evolved, standing out both in content creation and in executive decision-making. Here, diversity of thought and the inclusion of women in positions of power are essential to generate more equitable and varied content that better reflects social reality.