The terms “glass ceiling” and “concrete ceiling” allude to the working environment of a company. Both are nearly identical. There are, however, some distinctions between a glass and a concrete ceiling.
The term “glass ceiling” or “concrete ceiling” refers to a barrier that prevents qualified people, particularly women, from moving up the corporate ladder.
An organization’s growth of qualified employees comes to a halt. Both the glass and concrete ceilings imply that women and other members of the underclass play smaller roles in organisations.
Key Takeaways
- A glass ceiling is an invisible barrier that prevents women and minorities from advancing to higher levels within an organization. In contrast, a concrete ceiling is an even more impenetrable barrier faced by people of color.
- Glass ceilings can be subtle, with no explicit discrimination but rather unconscious bias, whereas concrete ceilings involve more overt and systemic discrimination.
- Breaking the glass ceiling is about achieving gender equality and equal opportunities while dismantling the concrete ceiling requires addressing racial and ethnic disparities in the workplace.
Glass Ceiling vs Concrete Ceiling
A glass ceiling is a term that is used to describe a situation in an organization in which qualified employees are restricted by discrimination in different forms, like sexism and racism. A concrete ceiling is a limitation that prevents competent individuals from progressing and is hard to remove, hence the name.
The term “glass ceiling” describes a situation in which qualified employees of a reputable company’s advancement and growth are limited owing to various forms of discrimination, such as sexism, racism, and other issues.
In comparison to the concrete ceiling method, a glass ceiling can be readily damaged. Because the Glass Ceiling creates restrictions that can be overcome with some effort.
A situation in which constraints and restrictions prevent highly competent individuals from growing and progressing is referred to as a “concrete ceiling.”
In the process of removing a concrete ceiling, there may be more hurdles and barriers. As a result, as its name suggests, a Concrete Ceiling is more difficult to breach. Concrete Ceiling barriers are impenetrable.
Comparison Table
| Parameters of Comparison | Glass Ceiling | Concrete Ceiling |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | A type of situation in which the growth of qualified persons of a reputed organisation is restricted due to certain varieties of discriminations like sexism. | A type of situation in which barriers and restrictions block the growth and advancement of highly qualified individuals. |
| Breaking rules | It can be easily broken. | Tougher to break. |
| Overcoming situation | Relatively easier. | Relatively tougher. |
| Density | Less dense | Highly dense |
| Shattering | It can be easily shattered. | Difficult to shatter. |
What is Glass Ceiling?
The term “glass ceiling” refers to a situation in which qualified employees of a reputable company’s advancement and growth are limited owing to various forms of discrimination, such as sexism, racism, and other types of causes.
In comparison to the process of removing a concrete ceiling, a glass ceiling can be readily damaged.
Coming out, moving on, and overcoming the barriers erected by the Glass Ceiling is all far easier than overcoming the restrictions erected by the Concrete Ceiling.
Because the obstacles erected by the Glass Ceiling can be overcome with little effort. Glass ceilings are less thick than concrete ceilings and thus more readily fractured. Individuals and people in the middle are not restricted by the glass ceiling.
What is Concrete Ceiling?
The term “concrete ceiling” refers to a situation in which constraints and restrictions prevent highly competent individuals from growing and progressing.
In the process of dealing with a concrete ceiling, there may be more hurdles and impediments.
As a result, the Concrete Ceiling, as its name implies, is more difficult to breach.
Overcoming, moving on, and breaking through the hurdles erected by the Concrete Ceiling is more difficult than breaking through the barriers erected by the Glass Ceiling.
Concrete Ceiling creates impenetrable barriers. The Glass Ceiling is denser than the Concrete Ceiling. Furthermore, shattering the Concrete Ceiling is more difficult. Individuals and persons at the middle level are banned from entering a Concrete Ceiling.
Main Differences Between Glass Ceiling and Concrete Ceiling
- The glass Ceiling refers to a type of situation in which the advancement and growth of qualified persons of a reputed organisation are restricted due to certain varieties of discrimination like sexism, racism and other types of factors. On the other hand, Concrete Ceiling refers to a type of situation in which barriers and restrictions block the growth and advancement of highly qualified individuals.
- Glass ceilings can be easily broken in comparison to the process of Concrete Ceilings. On the other hand, Concrete Ceiling can pose higher challenges and obstacles in the process of tackling it. Hence, Concrete Ceiling, as its name suggests, is tougher to break.
- Coming out, moving on, overcoming the barriers set by Glass Ceiling is relatively easier than the Concrete Ceiling. As the barriers set by Glass Ceiling can be overcome with some effort. On the other hand, overcoming, moving on and coming out of the barriers set by Concrete Ceiling is relatively tougher than Glass Ceiling. As the barriers set by Concrete Ceiling is solid.
- Glass Ceiling is less dense than Concrete Ceiling and can be shattered easily. On the other hand, Concrete Ceiling is denser than the Glass Ceiling. Moreover, it is more difficult to shatter the Concrete Ceiling.
- The glass Ceiling does not restrict individuals and persons in the middle level. On the other hand, in the case of a Concrete Ceiling, the entry of individuals and persons in the middle level is restricted.
Last Updated : 09 September, 2023
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Chara Yadav holds MBA in Finance. Her goal is to simplify finance-related topics. She has worked in finance for about 25 years. She has held multiple finance and banking classes for business schools and communities. Read more at her bio page.
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