Am I the only one who has never heard the term Glass Wall or Glass Escalator? I’m familiar with the term glass ceiling, that’s business basic.
The term Glass Wall was described to me as a women working in non-revenue producing departments in positions that rarely lead to revenue producing position. The example given was Accounting, Administrative positions, and of course HR.
The term Glass Escalator seems to refer to men having a fast track in businesses typically dominated by women; for example nursing.
Meet The Press had an interesting segment yesterday with Maria Shriver on the “The Shriver Report: A Woman’s Nation Changes Everything”. According to the report the American workforce is made up of 50% women and is steadily increasing. Of that 50% mentioned, 40% are the main breadwinners in their families.
I’m curious where the 40% of these women are in their professions. Have they experienced the Glass Walls or witnessed the Glass Escalators? Or are these woman the breadwinners due to their spouse/significant others losing their jobs?
Having never experienced the glass anything it’s hard for me to relate. Most of the women I know are headstrong and independent. If they can’t make their way up the corporate ladder at XYZ Company, they take their skills and rock on at ABC Incorporated; self included.
If these issues didn’t still exist, we wouldn’t be still hearing about them. For the executive men in HR, did you ride the glass escalator? Are there any women readers that experienced the glass walls/glass ceiling?
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I have worked in male dominated industries my entire career, and yes, I’ve seen both the glass wall and the glass escalator – though never heard them called that. In considering what to do with my career, I’ve often wondered if a female run company, or a company the was predominately a female workforce, would be different. Doubtful, but interesting to think about.
@tlcolson – My company has all men in senior management with the exception of our VP of HR and I dont think she’d know a glass ceiling or wall if it slapped her in the face.