The Glass Ceiling (Upper-Intermediate – C1)

The glass ceiling is a metaphor for the fact that women are not promoted to senior positions in companies because of their gender. It refers to the idea that women may be able to reach a certain level in their careers, but they are prevented from going further because of discrimination. Although the glass ceiling is invisible to many observers, it is a real barrier to women trying to progress in their careers. According to research by a nonprofit organization that works to improve workplace policies, in some industries more than 80 percent of senior management positions are held by men. Other research has shown that once a woman has children, her chance of receiving a promotion or other advancement opportunities diminishes significantly. The reason for this is that many employers assume that once a woman has a child she no longer has as much time to dedicate to her work. Although this may be true for some working mothers, it is not true for all. Women who receive support from their spouses or other family members are often able to continue working as they had prior to having children.