Employees will sometimes lament the fact that they are trapped beneath a “glass ceiling.” They may say that it has been holding their career back. In some cases, they may even claim that it is a form of discrimination – and they’re often right.
But what is a glass ceiling? It just refers to the trouble that employees have finding advancement at the company. If they feel like they can only advance to a certain level, then they are stuck under a glass ceiling. There’s nothing obvious holding them back, but it is still clear that they can no longer climb the corporate ladder.
For example, an employee may move up a few levels from their entry-level job, but they keep getting denied when they apply for executive positions within the company. Maybe they’re allowed to be a low-level manager, but they can’t get any higher than that, even though they’ve done an exemplary job. The glass ceiling is the invisible barrier preventing them from advancing in their career.
Why does this happen?
As noted above, discrimination is often at the heart of the issue. The employee may be in a protected class and they are being discriminated against, which is the real reason that they can’t climb the corporate ladder.
For example, female employees with experience and an excellent track record of results may complain that they’re being discriminated against when male employees are given promotions, despite having less experience and a worse record with the company. The CEO is unlikely to blatantly state that they refuse to promote women to executive roles, but their intentions become clear because it is impossible for female employees to get these promotions.
Do you believe you have been discriminated against on the job? Make sure you know what legal options you have.