The Glass Ceiling: An Insight to Women in Business

I remember taking my first economics class in college. I walked into the classroom to only see a sea of men with a few women in the last few rows. Looking around for a spot, I decided to join those women who quietly sat in the back. This memory made me realize that even though we have made progress in society and seen women in large roles in the corporate world, there still is not enough.

The glass ceiling is a metaphor that describes an invisible barrier that blocks women and other marginalized groups from reaching a certain level of hierarchy and success. Yes, I am proud to see my women in the corporate world who run major companies and serve on higher levels of business, but the truth is that it is still rare to see women at those high levels. In 2022, the employment rate for men aged 25 and above stood at 67.9%, while for women in the same age group, it was 55.4%, according to The Economics Daily. There has been an increase in women-owned businesses, including 39% of women choosing to establish new franchise locations, and 26% of women starting their businesses from scratch. More women are choosing to be self-employed instead of corporate life because of the implicit bias and toxicity behind male-dominated companies. We want more for our future. We want to have more flexibility because women are still shown as the leaders in the household. We want to follow our passions that have been shut down. It makes sense why women are declining in corporate and increasing in entrepreneurship.

Even though we have seen an increase in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion implemented in the workplace to help women and minorities, those same DEI positions are getting laid off. In 2023, businesses such as Meta, Tesla, and Amazon have laid off their DEI teams by 50% or more. The governor of Texas, Greg Abbott, signed a law banning DEI programs at the university level. While we face these hardships that seem like there is no progress in society, there are ways to chip at that societal glass ceiling and potentially break it.

Breaking the glass ceiling requires gaining knowledge about the subject from all parties in the workplace. As a woman, I believe we need to help and become friends with our fellow women to look after each other. If there is a situation going on, not only should it go to upper management, but finding that support group of women in our workplace can be very helpful. Regarding Human Resources, I believe that implementing resources specifically for women can lead them toward success. Ideas include employee resource groups, paid parental leave, and flexible work schedules.

It is crazy for me to talk about a term that was coined in the 1970s in today's world, but it is still absolutely relevant. Throughout generations, women have faced the uphill battle of overcoming discriminatory norms and implicit biases. Despite the significant strides towards equality in society, women in leadership positions still face inherently sexist notions not just in workplaces but, unfortunately, outside the workplace as well. Let's break that glass ceiling.