Living under the glass ceiling — and how to smash through it.
Although there has been progress, women and visible minorities are still faced with the difficult task of climbing the Canadian corporate ladder. Many often wonder when will equality and fairness be fully realized in the workplace? When will I crack or shatter the glass ceiling? When will the old boys’ network finally fade out?
Let’s take a look at the definition of the “glass ceiling” and what that means. In terms of corporate Canada it can be explained as, “not making full use of the nation’s human capital.” Simply put, it is when individuals are kept at a certain level of the corporation, regardless of their training, knowledge and work experience. It is a perpetual struggle for equal access and equal opportunity.
When visible minorities and women do obtain managerial jobs, they often are confined to specific departments with less authority and outside the track to upper-level, senior management jobs. They can be found working in positions with no decision-making power, no visibility, lower compensation and working in gender and minority specific industries.
When examining where and how glass ceilings continue to exist in organizations, there are three useful points of reference: architecture, knowledge and mindset.
Architecture of the business
Architecture refers to barriers within the organization that prevent the employee from moving ahead. For example, problems of corporate structure, management biases, office politics, sexism and lack of programs to support visible minorities and women.
These barriers include not having a fair and equitable recruitment program, including internal transfer and promotion opportunities. What are the consequences of this? People may get hired and promoted based on biases and personal connections, rather than on the their knowledge and capabilities.
Compensation is another obstacle. Visible minorities and women have historically been paid less than their white male counterparts in the same job. This barrier continues to perpetuate the low status, invisibility and under-development of women and visible minorities.
Further barriers contributing to the glass ceiling effect are the practice of discrimination, nepotism, not responding to employment equity requirements and weak or non-existent evaluation systems.
Knowledge
Knowledge of the problem, or lack thereof is another barrier. Many businesses are not willing to admit the glass ceiling exists in their workplace, or don’t know that it exists. To find out, organizations should start by asking these questions: Is the structure of the business promoting an environment where individuals are not attaining their true potential? Have employees been educated on this issue that has existed in corporate Canada for decades? Do we have the knowledge to make necessary changes?
Mindset
The mindset of management is also important. It usually directs the business structure since values, norms and organizational culture are formed through the practices of its people. Are people in your organization inherently prejudiced? Do they have biases? Do they use their judgement rather than looking at facts? Do they tend to favour people who they know or people who have been referred to them?
Individuals always come to an organization with their own backgrounds, socialization, norms and values that may lead them to prejudge others. An example of this can be the preconceived norms of women. Often it is assumed women are the caregivers in the home, therefore this family demand competes for time in the workplace leading to reduced opportunities to grow and develop. In order to overcome barriers such as this, there needs to be a modification in perception and behaviour, by both men and women in the organization.
Getting up the ladder
In addressing the architecture, knowledge and mindset that create the glass ceiling, we can look at both what the organization and the individual can do.
The first step is for the leaders in the organization to take an introspective look at what the organization is and what it stands for, and whether they are complying with the law. Educating and training the workforce on ethnic, racial and gender diversity would be an essential next step for the business.
Implementing programs that actively recruit and promote visible minorities and women should result in better representation of these groups in the workplace. The objective would be to have the same percentage of visible minorities and women that are available in the external labour force represented within the workplace, at equitable compensation and various levels including upper management.
Companies should also create an environment that embraces work-life balance. This can include programs that provide flexible work programs such as working from home, shorter work weeks, telecommuting, and job sharing. Creating a balance for women in the home and in the workplace will lead to improved productivity and reduced costs.
Some organizations also face compliance issues in respect to diversity and equity programs. Such programs allow visible minorities and women to compete for jobs in their chosen fields. If the organization is federally regulated, then it must have an employment equity program in place. However, if it’s provincially regulated, this legislation does not apply.
The organization needs to review hiring, compensation and diversity programs, while giving consideration to formal mentorship programs as well. Formal mentorship is key, especially for those employees that have intentions of being in upper management.
There are also some actions employees can take to protect themselves from the effects of the glass ceiling. Visible minorities and women need to research the companies they would like to work for or that they are currently working for. They need to ascertain what type of culture is present within the organization. For example, find out the number of visible minorities and women on their board of directors and in executive positions.
Current and prospective employees need to evaluate the compensation package. Find out what is equitable pay for similar positions in the marketplace. Visible minorities and women need to be tougher, more demanding, negotiate better and walk away when the opportunity (financial or otherwise) is not right.
Networking and socializing are other ways for visible minorities and women to move up the corporate ladder and crack the glass ceiling. A number of business deals happen outside of the workplace. They happen on the golf courses, in restaurants, at club or association meetings and in other social, non-business environments. Visible minorities and women need to position themselves in these environments to help propel them up the ladder. As they begin to climb, they need to remember to help others along the way and be mentors to them also.
Finally, consideration should be given to whether or not to work in corporate Canada at all. Some decide it’s easier to become their own boss rather than struggle up the ladder only to continually bump up against the glass ceiling anyhow. Consequently, there are a growing number of small businesses being headed up by visible minorities and women.
In taking all of these factors into account, we may start seeing cracks in the glass ceiling. Visible minorities and women will start climbing the corporate ladder to upper levels of management, and begin to be on the inside track, slowly eliminating the old boys’ network. Corporate Canada needs to take full use of the nation’s human capital to ensure survival in this new global economy. With the continuing competition in the global market place, Canadian corporations must recognize the benefits of a diverse workforce at all levels and it can only lead them to increased success and an improved bottom line.
Shirleen Weekes is a human resources business partner with TELUS Mobility. She can be reached at [email protected].
Let’s take a look at the definition of the “glass ceiling” and what that means. In terms of corporate Canada it can be explained as, “not making full use of the nation’s human capital.” Simply put, it is when individuals are kept at a certain level of the corporation, regardless of their training, knowledge and work experience. It is a perpetual struggle for equal access and equal opportunity.
When visible minorities and women do obtain managerial jobs, they often are confined to specific departments with less authority and outside the track to upper-level, senior management jobs. They can be found working in positions with no decision-making power, no visibility, lower compensation and working in gender and minority specific industries.
When examining where and how glass ceilings continue to exist in organizations, there are three useful points of reference: architecture, knowledge and mindset.
Architecture of the business
Architecture refers to barriers within the organization that prevent the employee from moving ahead. For example, problems of corporate structure, management biases, office politics, sexism and lack of programs to support visible minorities and women.
These barriers include not having a fair and equitable recruitment program, including internal transfer and promotion opportunities. What are the consequences of this? People may get hired and promoted based on biases and personal connections, rather than on the their knowledge and capabilities.
Compensation is another obstacle. Visible minorities and women have historically been paid less than their white male counterparts in the same job. This barrier continues to perpetuate the low status, invisibility and under-development of women and visible minorities.
Further barriers contributing to the glass ceiling effect are the practice of discrimination, nepotism, not responding to employment equity requirements and weak or non-existent evaluation systems.
Knowledge
Knowledge of the problem, or lack thereof is another barrier. Many businesses are not willing to admit the glass ceiling exists in their workplace, or don’t know that it exists. To find out, organizations should start by asking these questions: Is the structure of the business promoting an environment where individuals are not attaining their true potential? Have employees been educated on this issue that has existed in corporate Canada for decades? Do we have the knowledge to make necessary changes?
Mindset
The mindset of management is also important. It usually directs the business structure since values, norms and organizational culture are formed through the practices of its people. Are people in your organization inherently prejudiced? Do they have biases? Do they use their judgement rather than looking at facts? Do they tend to favour people who they know or people who have been referred to them?
Individuals always come to an organization with their own backgrounds, socialization, norms and values that may lead them to prejudge others. An example of this can be the preconceived norms of women. Often it is assumed women are the caregivers in the home, therefore this family demand competes for time in the workplace leading to reduced opportunities to grow and develop. In order to overcome barriers such as this, there needs to be a modification in perception and behaviour, by both men and women in the organization.
Getting up the ladder
In addressing the architecture, knowledge and mindset that create the glass ceiling, we can look at both what the organization and the individual can do.
The first step is for the leaders in the organization to take an introspective look at what the organization is and what it stands for, and whether they are complying with the law. Educating and training the workforce on ethnic, racial and gender diversity would be an essential next step for the business.
Implementing programs that actively recruit and promote visible minorities and women should result in better representation of these groups in the workplace. The objective would be to have the same percentage of visible minorities and women that are available in the external labour force represented within the workplace, at equitable compensation and various levels including upper management.
Companies should also create an environment that embraces work-life balance. This can include programs that provide flexible work programs such as working from home, shorter work weeks, telecommuting, and job sharing. Creating a balance for women in the home and in the workplace will lead to improved productivity and reduced costs.
Some organizations also face compliance issues in respect to diversity and equity programs. Such programs allow visible minorities and women to compete for jobs in their chosen fields. If the organization is federally regulated, then it must have an employment equity program in place. However, if it’s provincially regulated, this legislation does not apply.
The organization needs to review hiring, compensation and diversity programs, while giving consideration to formal mentorship programs as well. Formal mentorship is key, especially for those employees that have intentions of being in upper management.
There are also some actions employees can take to protect themselves from the effects of the glass ceiling. Visible minorities and women need to research the companies they would like to work for or that they are currently working for. They need to ascertain what type of culture is present within the organization. For example, find out the number of visible minorities and women on their board of directors and in executive positions.
Current and prospective employees need to evaluate the compensation package. Find out what is equitable pay for similar positions in the marketplace. Visible minorities and women need to be tougher, more demanding, negotiate better and walk away when the opportunity (financial or otherwise) is not right.
Networking and socializing are other ways for visible minorities and women to move up the corporate ladder and crack the glass ceiling. A number of business deals happen outside of the workplace. They happen on the golf courses, in restaurants, at club or association meetings and in other social, non-business environments. Visible minorities and women need to position themselves in these environments to help propel them up the ladder. As they begin to climb, they need to remember to help others along the way and be mentors to them also.
Finally, consideration should be given to whether or not to work in corporate Canada at all. Some decide it’s easier to become their own boss rather than struggle up the ladder only to continually bump up against the glass ceiling anyhow. Consequently, there are a growing number of small businesses being headed up by visible minorities and women.
In taking all of these factors into account, we may start seeing cracks in the glass ceiling. Visible minorities and women will start climbing the corporate ladder to upper levels of management, and begin to be on the inside track, slowly eliminating the old boys’ network. Corporate Canada needs to take full use of the nation’s human capital to ensure survival in this new global economy. With the continuing competition in the global market place, Canadian corporations must recognize the benefits of a diverse workforce at all levels and it can only lead them to increased success and an improved bottom line.
Shirleen Weekes is a human resources business partner with TELUS Mobility. She can be reached at [email protected].
