Challenges faced by working women

 Ann Morrison describes what it means to hit the glass ceiling- “the glass ceiling is a barrier ‘so subtle that it is transparent, yet so strong that it prevents women from moving up the corporate hierarchy.’ From their vantage point on the corporate ladder, women can see the high-level corporate positions but are kept from ‘reaching the top.’”  Where most women have not been able to break the glass ceiling, a very small percentage has.

A few women executives discuss why are the glass ceilings are formed.

JOB SEGREGATION

Women are mostly employed in sectors like personnel, public relations, and sometimes finance; that rarely helps them advance to higher positions. Because of these gendered segregation practices, most women who do manage to enter male-dominated fields, still remain to be at the bottom of the ladder.

OLD BOYS CLUB

Men usually have a tendency to hire people most like them. As a result, they usually look at old classmates and former colleagues and women rarely get chances to get ahead. Women executives are often kept out these clubs, giving them lesser chances to come in contact with the right people.

SEX DISCRIMINATION

According to a Wall Street Journal/Gallup survey, only 3% women considered familial responsibilities to be the biggest obstacle in the career advancement. Yet, over half believed that their gender stopped them from receiving the same opportunities their male counterparts do.

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SEXUAL HARRASMENT

Contrary to popular belief, sexual harassment at workplace is still rampant. Most workplaces have a body that may register such complaints but even then, severe actions are hardly taken. This often demoralizes women, who are scared of sharing such an incident fearing it will hamper their careers.

ENFORCEMENT OF ANTI-DISCRIMINATION LAW

Civil Rights Monitor believes, “make it harder for women and minorities to prove discrimination, make it easier for those opposed to civil rights consent decrees to challenge them, narrow the coverage of civil rights statutes, and limit the award of attorney's fees.” Men have also been noted to not consider the problems faced by women as significant.

ORIGINAL SOURCE: Feminist Majority Foundation

http://www.feminist.org/research/business/ewb_glass.html