The term “glass ceiling” is commonly used to refer to invisible discrimination against women in the workplace. This phenomenon describes the difficulty that members of marginalized groups face when trying to attain higher leadership positions. Essentially, an invisible barrier prevents them from moving up the ladder.
The proportion of women on the board of DAX companies is still comparatively high at 20 percent. According to the DIW Manager Barometer 2022, they accounted for only 14.7 percent of the board of the 200 largest German companies. If one also considers other companies and management positions outside of the board, women in Germany account for 29 percent of the executives in the Federal Statistical Office. Germany is quite bad throughout the EU and will be in 20th place. Real diversity looks different. (* desired.de )
To change something, basic conditions for women to make careers need to improve, and prejudices towards women in leadership positions need to be further reduced. One idea is to stimulate this process actively and allow more women to break through the glass ceiling are women’s quotas. Critics fear, though, that less competent women could snatch away the jobs of competent men, but in fact, the opposite could be the case: qualified women finally get the opportunity to fill the positions that are sometimes occupied with less competent men!
Food for thought:
Women usually work a career level lower among their skills, whereas men often apply a career level over their skills. Studies show that women often apply for job positions only if they meet almost all the requirements, while men try their luck even if they meet few of the criteria they are looking for. It’s unfortunate that there are still barriers preventing women from moving up to leadership positions. One common issue is the existence of a “boys club” in some workplaces, where men tend to support and promote other men, while women are excluded. Additionally, women are often not taken as seriously as men and are not trusted to make valuable decisions in the workplace or in leadership roles. These invisible barriers can make it difficult for women to advance in their careers and achieve the same level of success as their male counterparts.