Glass Ceiling and Career Development

 Go Get Your Bag Sis $

WHAT IS A GLASS CEILING?

This is an invisible line that blocks women from advancing or being promoted at an equal rate to men. This is a form of structural discrimination that still exists in many workplace environments. Unfortunately, it is hard to make progress on this issue because many people refuse to acknowledge that it exists, especially those who feel entitled to power. This line prevents women from advancing their careers and expanding their personal wealth. Usually, status within a company is how power is allocated. Keeping women out of leadership roles leaves the men to continue to have the power and perpetuate traditional patriarchal tactics and systems within an organization. There are laws that claim it prevents this, but there really is nothing making companies enforce these policies. It is so easy to make other excuses of why someone may or may not be hired or promoted so it is very hard to prove. Luckily, the numbers do not lie.

THE WAGE GAP

This is the financial difference between what men and women are paid in the same status positions/same occupation. In the U.S. women earn approximately 20% less than men. Additionally, women are more commonly found in "caring" occupations such as bakers, caregivers, teachers, nurses, therapists, social workers, stay-at-home mothers, human resources representatives etc. These jobs are essential for society to function but are not compensated as so. The average pay for taking care of zoo animals is $2,500 a year more than those caring for children!! Priorities right??!!

The #1 contribution is the wage gap is temporal flexibility. This means that the person in this role may have paid leave, paid vacation, flexible hours, and/or other benefits. Positions that did not have flexibility were more often held by men because they are not expected to birth and take responsibility for childcare in any point during their careers. Women often have to decline promotions because there is a minimal ability to accommodate childcare in higher positions. In companies that allow more flexibility, women are able to rise in the ranks at a much faster rate.

STEREOTYPES

In the workforce, men are considered hard-working and women are considered lucky for being successful. Hard work is often discounted because of others' perceptions of a woman's looks or ulterior options for moving up in a company or finding success. Women also face more obstacles from within themselves and society in the workplace. For example, a woman's perceptions impact their career achievement, women expect less respect and pay because that is what they are used to, in a study, women paid themselves less when given a chance to choose a salary than when men were asked to give themselves a salary. This is why women don’t ask enough!!! – they are often more concerned that if they asked for more during an interview, they would be viewed negatively or wouldn’t get the job at all.

HOW DO I COMBAT THIS?

1. Discuss pay with your coworkers!!! It is not illegal to privately discuss pay with your friends/acquaintances at work. 

2. Make sure you negotiate pay when you are hired for a rate you believe you deserve! Do not settle!

3. Do research on the company prior to applying and always be on the lookout for discrimination of all types and stick up for those who may be too scared to say something.

If you're interested in reading more on this topic follow the link below for more info on the gender wage gap: 

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