Today, women have been able to create a discriminate position for themselves in a hitherto man-dominant world. They have done wonders in various fields, like flying across the Atlantic, swimming across the English Channel, being part of the coveted Space Shuttle, being elected to the highest post in a government, etc. Some years back, women were given the right to vote also. But despite all these achievements, women are still oppressed, especially at the workplace. This is one place where the women haven’t been able to get their due reward or position. This happens because in the corporate world there is a trend being followed called the “glass ceiling”. The term was invented about 25 years back by Hymowitz and Schellhardt, while writing a report on corporate women, for the Wall Street Journal. Karine S. Moe and Dianna J. Shandy (2010) wrote, “…the term ‘glass ceiling’ refers to subtle barriers that impede the career advancement of women and minorities. The ceiling is glass because while the path to promotion seems clear, these invisible barriers prevent women from reaching the top levels in their careers.” (Moe, 46). If we interpret these words, glass, and ceiling, we understand why it is so-called. The word “ceiling” depicts a kind of barrier for the progress of women and the word “glass” is used as an adjective for ceiling because as glass in invisible (transparent), the barrier is also invisible. This glass ceiling dissuades women from attaining higher posts and higher salary slabs. Deborah Woo (2000) noted, “The overwhelming majority of the CEOs interviewed in the survey commission by the Glass Ceiling Commission think of the glass ceiling in terms women.” (Woo, 65).
The glass barrier takes into consideration, the disparity in salaries for similar works, promotion delays, and sexual harassment. The management of the organizations where the glass ceiling is effective has reasons to do so. According to them, the increments and promotion policies are different for women because more men tend to opt for higher-risk jobs rather than women. Another factor is that while women have to keep an equilibrium between home and workplace, men concentrate more on their workplace. This mindset of the management shows the “Deontological” theory of ethics. According to this theory, no act is wrong if it is done for the sake of duty. The management has to take care of the profitability of the company. So it decides on matters that are favorable to the company. Another theory of ethics is the “Utilitarianism” theory. People, who do immoral acts without considering the results, follow this theory.
In my point of view, although the situation has changed a great deal, yet they’re still are certain areas where the glass ceiling effect can be observed. Especially in the private sector, we don’t see much of the female gender at higher posts. The supposed authority status given by God to man is still there. And when it comes to some physical work, of course, men are preferred to women. This is because of the masculine body of the male gender. Women should not feel offended about this. That is the Law of Nature. But otherwise, women should ignore such phenomena and continue to strive hard for survival in the corporate world. They should voice their opinion because each one of us has the right to speak. Moreover, in today’s world, the fittest only survive.
References
Moe, S. K., Shandy, D. J. (2010). Glass Ceilings and 100-hour Couples: What the Opt-out Phenomenon can teach us about work and family. Athens, Georgia: University of Georgia Press.
Woo, D. (2000). Glass Ceilings and Asian Americans: The New Face of Workplace Barriers. Oxford, England: Rowman & Littlefield.