Glass Ceiling: A Study of Challenges Facing Women at Workplace

Abstract

Purpose- “Glass Ceiling” is a term coined in the United States in 1970 to describe the invisible artificial barriers, created by the attitudinal and organizational prejudices that hinder women to move on executive positions.(Linda Wirth “Breakthrough in Glass Ceiling Women Management;ILO;2001) The aim of this research article to investigates and develops insight into the organizational barriers for glass ceiling within the organization, to find the solutions to overcome these barriers. The previous literature states that, women employees facing the glass ceiling effect due to structural organizational issues among male and female mangers in career advancement, which has a strong positive impact on individual and organizational performance.  
Design/methodology/ approach- This article is based on the viewpoint of the previous 
findings, where women employees facing a glass ceiling effect perpetuates by male employees 
to restrict the growth of women workforce in executive positions to develop a conceptual 
framework on this study. 
Practical Implications: The women employees do not pursue their jobs due to masculine culture preferences and feel less motivated for attainment of higher positions. Fair recruitment policies, cultural diversity management programmes, flexible and conducive working hours, job sharing, job rotation, employee retention policies are the remedial measures to overcome the organizational barriers ascribed to glass ceiling. It promotes empowerment of women employees, decentralized decision-making and upward appraisal where managers receive feedback from subordinate and peer groups for developing transparent organization culture. This approach helps to eliminate discrimination, inequality and inter-personal conflicts emerge in organization culture. Transition of work- family to work-life neutralizes the glass ceiling effect in workplace.  
Value/Originality- This is an original attempt to develop a conceptual framework on glass ceiling attributed to organizational issues emerging in Indian context, from the availability of authenticated data sources.