There is a big difference between a glass ceiling and a concrete ceiling. A glass ceiling is an invisible barrier that stops women and minorities from rising to the top ranks in their field. A concrete ceiling, on the other hand, is something that is very real and tangible. It’s the barrier that keeps people of color and working-class families from reaching the upper middle class or wealthy neighborhoods. It’s time to break through the concrete ceilings that are holding us back!
What is Glass Ceiling?
The term “glass ceiling” is used to describe the unseen, yet unbreakable barrier that women face when trying to advance in the workplace. Though it is an invisible barrier, the effects of the glass ceiling are very real. Women who hit the glass ceiling often find themselves stuck in lower-level positions, earning less money and receiving fewer opportunities for advancement. In recent years, there has been more public awareness of the glass ceiling and efforts to break through it. However, the glass ceiling is still very much intact in many workplaces. Only by continuing to raise awareness and push for change will we be able to shatter the glass ceiling once and for all.
What is Concrete Ceiling?
Concrete Ceiling is an unfinished business story about women of color that is critical to the American narrative. The Concrete Ceiling is the artificial barrier that limits women of color’s advancement in corporate America. Despite representing over half of the U.S. population and being the most educated and fastest-growing demographic, women of color hold only 3% of executive leadership positions in S&P 500 companies.
In order to dismantle Concrete Ceiling, we must first understand its origins. Concrete Ceiling was created by a series of institutionalized decisions and practices that have resulted in the exclusion of women of color from opportunities for leadership and advancement. We must work together to break down Concrete Ceiling so that our organizations and our country can reach their full potential.
Difference between Glass Ceiling and Concrete Ceiling
A glass ceiling generally refers to an invisible barrier that limits women’s advancement in the workplace. A concrete ceiling, on the other hand, is a visible barrier that limits people of color’s advancement in the workplace. Although both types of ceilings can be equally challenging to overcome, the Glass Ceiling tends to be more elusive and therefore harder to identify and address.
The Concrete Ceiling is often more rooted in institutionalized racism and bias, making it easier to identify but also more difficult to change. Glass ceilings and concrete ceilings are both significant barriers to workplace equality, but understanding the difference between the two is essential for developing effective strategies for breaking through.
Conclusion
Although the glass ceiling has been cracked, it is still far from shattered. So what can we do to break through the concrete ceiling? We need to continue to speak out and push for change. We need to support each other and lift each other up. We need to demand better policies and more equal opportunities. And most importantly, we need to vote. The power is in our hands.
