The concept “Glass Ceiling” originally was first used in 1986, when 2 Wall Street Journal reporters coined the phrase to describe the invisible and artificial barriers that impeded women from advancing to senior leadership positions in organizations. Since then, the metaphor of the glass ceiling has also come to be applied to the advancement of minorities, deaf, blind, disabled, and sexual minorities. It is unmistakable that ceilings and walls exist throughout most workplaces for minorities and women. These barriers limit the development and mobility opportunities of men and women of diverse racial and ethnic backgrounds.
What are types of Glass Ceiling barriers?
- Lack of management commitment to establish systems, policies, and practices for achieving workplace diversity and upward mobility;
- Pay inequities for work of equal or comparable value;
- Sex, race, and ethnic-based stereotyping and harassment;
- Lack of family-friendly workplace policies;
- Parent-track policies;
- Limited opportunities for advancement to decision-making positions;
Such barriers prevent minorities and women from reaching positions where
they can even see a glass ceiling.
“The glass ceiling is a barrier not only to individuals but to society as a whole. This barrier reduces the potential pool of corporate leaders by ignoring, or worse, discriminating against over one-half of the population. The barrier prevents new leaders from bringing new foundations of creativity and insight to our economy. At BreakTheGlassingCeiling.com our agenda is to bring compete productively to today’s global marketplace. We must let loose the full latent potential of the American work force.
The time has come to break our boundaries and break the glass ceiling.” -Dakotta J.K. Alex
