In the Workplace

The Glass Ceiling

May 10, 2002

G. Michael Payton, Executive Director
Ohio Civil Rights Commission

Michael C. Fetzer, Director
U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission
Cleveland District Office

Ever heard of a glass ceiling? Companies and organizations often struggle to reach their full potential because of the existence of a glass ceiling. Formal policies or informal practices can result in barriers which prevent talented individuals-including but not limited to women, persons of various ethnic, racial, religious or national origin groups, and persons with disabilities- from rising to the upper levels of a corporate/organizational structure. Employees at different levels in an organization can have varying perspectives on the existence of such barriers. Understanding these dynamics is the first step in demonstrating top management's commitment to workplace fairness and equal employment opportunity.

Just what is a glass ceiling? A glass ceiling is the existence of invisible but real barriers that limit opportunities of employees to move up into the higher levels of employment at a company. This is particularly true for supervisory and managerial positions. The effects can range from poor work morale to charges of employment discrimination, preventing companies from achieving their full economic potential. The need to ensure an equal opportunity to compete in the workplace is essential in today's society and a must for competitive advantage in the global marketplace. EEOC Chair Cari M. Dominguez and OCRC Chairman Aaron Wheeler feel strongly that all of us should have common concern with respect to the opportunities for racial and ethnic minority group members, women and people with disabilities in our workforces and to be watchful for barriers that may limit rather than encourage growth and opportunity. Many times, these barriers are artificial and are usually based on attitudinal or corporate biases that have become part of an organization's culture. Creative problem-solving and innovation most organizations value in dealing with design, production, marketing and customer service problems can be effectively applied in identifying and resolving internal human resource issues like the existence of a glass ceiling.

Glass ceilings can often become expensive problems for organizations. Workplace barriers prevent qualified individuals from receiving the training, mentoring and developmental work assignments they need to compete on an equal footing for promotional opportunities. Their talents are wasted, and their compensation and professional development and opportunity are negatively impacted. Morale, innovation and productivity may suffer. As a result, valuable human and other organizational resources may be squandered. Additionally, a company may be faced with possible litigation due to violations of federal and state equal employment opportunity laws enforced by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and the Ohio Civil Rights Commission.

Some other barriers to equal employment opportunity include failure to advertise widely for hiring and promotional opportunities, and excessive reliance on informal networks of recruitment or word-of-mouth recruiting. Many companies have formal training and mentoring programs to enable staff to move toward progressively responsible positions, but perhaps the more valuable informal mentoring, socialization and support these individuals need often are not available to members of under represented groups. It is inherent to human nature that people often like to associate with other people who are like themselves. This type of association often works to exclude other valuable human resources and inhibit innovation, to the detriment of the organization. It often carries over into performance assessments and decisions about who should work on special projects or assignments. It can also affect one's judgment about who is the best qualified candidate for a position or promotional opportunity.

It is clear that a diverse workplace contributes to productivity and an enhanced organizational image. When middle and upper management positions within the organization are filled with qualified individuals from a variety of backgrounds who reflect the general workforce, companies are in a better position to attract and retain talent. Statistical information reveals that roughly two-thirds of our total population and 57 percent of our working population are female, non-white, or both. However, at the highest levels of business the reverse is true: 97 percent of the senior managers of Fortune 1000 industrial and Fortune 500 companies are white, and 95 to 97 percent are male. It is evident that the glass ceiling exists to some degree and that it poses a formidable barrier to inclusiveness and economic productivity. Women and minority group members are expected to comprise 62 percent of the national workforce by the year 2005. There are great advantages to companies having their workforce more accurately reflect the marketplace. Developing this enormous pool of talent, will increase a company's competitive edge in the global economy.

What can be done to help eliminate the glass ceiling? One way is for top management to seek the ideas of staff members at all levels, including women, minorities and persons with disabilities, to identify what they believe are recruitment and developmental barriers and ways to overcome them. Staff ideas may reflect a fresh perspective on the existence of a glass ceiling and ways to overcome it. The importance of education and equal employment opportunity to the future success of the company should be stressed to all employees. Companies may also want to consider retaining the services of professional organizations which specialize in successfully addressing equal employment opportunity issues, including glass ceiling issues.

Working together, with fresh and honest approaches, and an emphasis on education, we can ensure the freedom to compete fairly in the workplace!

For more information on this or other employment issues, contact the EEOC Cleveland District Office of the Ohio Civil Rights Commission, or visit their websites at www.eeoc.gov or www.state.oh.us/crc.