Does the glass ceiling still exist for women in the workplace?

The disparity between women and men in the workplace is still significant for both pay and hiring rates.  This exists even despite contrasting statistics for higher education.  Here are some theories about why that is.

In a world where, at least on the surface, it seems that women are closing or have closed the gap between themselves and their male counterparts in the workplace, the statistics on this subject can seem startling.  There can be a perception that the so called glass ceiling has disappeared because the disparity in college and higher education has actually swung in favor of women.  Some studies have estimated that over 55% of college students are currently women.  What’s more, women make up a far higher percentage of those earning honors along with their degrees at many universities.  Why is it then that, after graduation, women are hired less and at less pay than equally qualified or even less qualified men?

         If a woman is required to take an employment test, could it be that they are at a disadvantage before they even get started?  Most of the tests ask the prospective employees to list their gender and, even the test taker declines to do so, the name is often a giveaway.  Overt gender discrimination is not only illegal and explicitly denounced in almost every American company, but the stark difference in hiring statistics suggests that there are several biases and social constructs working against women.  While the majority of people are educated and open minded enough to assume that they would never make such judgments based solely on gender, race or beliefs, there are absolutely undeniable expectations that exist when people and employers are presented with an interviewee. 

        Beyond the employment test, the interview is where most instances of inequality can begin.  It is theorized that because women are typically less aggressive in negotiating a salary, often taking the first offer they are presented with, they end up earning less than men, both at the beginning and by the pinnacle of their professional careers.  There is also the consideration of pregnancy and maternity leave.  Men are obviously not presented with the problem, at least not nearly as often as women, since it is extremely rare for corporations to offer men a leave of absence in order to stay home and care for newborn children.  While many women do work until the very late months of their pregnancy, the extremely heightened time requirements needed to care for a child limits their time spent at work.  Any extra or overtime hours are immediately compromised and women can therefore be bypassed for promotion simply because they are not presented with the opportunity to excel beyond their regular working demands.  Lastly, there is also the common perception that still exists that women are expected to be less aggressive than men so it can be shocking or feel out of place for them to behave that way in the workplace. 

The battle for equality in the workplace is an uphill one not just because of the rare case of outright discrimination, but also because of social constructs.  A simple employment test therefore wouldn’t necessarily be a deterrent to women seeking employment, but once they are hired, the struggle to excel begins.