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Women break glass ceiling
 Media Credit: charles martin The guest speaker for Women On Wednesday (W.O.W.) Dr. Elaine Davis, a Human Resource Management Professor in the Herberger College of Business at SCSU, spoke strongly about “women on the rise,” In this male dominated society.
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As women enter the workforce in increasing numbers, one thing has stayed the same. They continue to face somewhat significant obstacles: the so-called “glass ceiling” and the inequalities found between men and women in corporate jobs.
According to Elaine Davis, professor of human resources management in SCSU’s Herberger College of Business, women are still being challenged in the corporate world.
“In the U.S., more than half of all women are employed,” Davis said. “But we ask, do the women progress as fast as men or does the glass ceiling prevent them?”
Davis defined the glass ceiling as the top of the corporate ladder that women and minorities can see but most likely will never achieve.
She has done plenty of research throughout the years and has been published extensively in the area of employment law, employee benefits and international human resources.
In her research, Davis has found data supporting her theory. Even in this new millennium, she said, there are several things women and minorities need to learn to break the glass ceiling and be successful in the corporate world.
“Women hold 12.5 percent of all corporate office positions,” she said.
Davis pointed out that the pay gap in corporate office positions in 1999-2000 has grown.
“The pay gap has widened,” Davis said.
Women who make it
However, there are women who do make it to the top. For example, the head executive of Hewlett Packard is a woman.
“ (Of women) of the Fortune 500 companies, the numbers are increasing,” Davis said. “The numbers of women who held corporate positions rose from 417 to 434.”
Women breaking the glass ceiling seem to work in certain specific industries. One such field is in medicine.
“Women have a powerful voice in the medical field,” Davis said. “In 1950, women held less than ten percent in medical school. In 1990, it was 36 percent and in 2000 it was 43 percent. The ceiling is definitely cracking in the medical field.”
Of course, Davis recognizes that 9-11 played an impact on women in the corporate field, especially on Wall Street. Women working in securities have fallen 20 percent since 9-11.
“What’s happened in the economy has made companies look at the bottom lines, not their diversity,” Davis said.
She points out that when it came to revaluating businesses after 9-11, companies were more likely to release women employees in efforts to make their business successful rather than focus on keeping their business diverse. She also noted that by having smaller numbers of women in corporate positions will lower the number of women role models for younger generations of women.
“The fear in the drop of women on Wall Street is that it will reduce the number of role models,” Davis said.
Beyond Wall Street, the every day boardroom across America is where the diversity is small in size.
“Women and minorities are currently under-represented on boards,” Davis said. “Having more diverse ideas in the corporate boardroom leads to more success.”
Breaking the ceiling
Davis knows that it is not easy to obtain positions on the corporate ladder. She had plenty of advice on how to obtain corporate positions and “the game” to play to land such a position.
“Women have learned that CEOs hire not based on qualifications, but who you know,” she said. “The supply of senior executive women are strong, but how women executives are judged differently from men is a growing rift.”
Davis points out that there are two sides to the argument of fairness among women executives. Some say that gender is irrelevant, that it is how well you do your job that counts, which is the way it should be, she said.
However, she added, many people still believe that gender does matter, that women play more on emotions and how people feel rather than sticking to business.
“There seems to be a smaller margin of error for women,” said Davis. “One mistake and you’re gone. For women, any slip-up is seen as incompetence on the job, where men aren’t seen as such.”
Davis said she has seen many women get tired of battling the glass ceiling and instead turn to other things.
“If the glass ceiling is cracking, there is also the increase of women who leap off the corporate ladder to start their own businesses,” Davis said. “After years women have calculated the price. For some it was too much and (they) left.”
Knowing the culture
Davis says that there is a culture to know when entering the corporate arena. She calls it the “golf culture.”
She defines the culture as a set of behaviors and rules that women must adapt to in order to succeed.
There are four simple rules to this culture, Davis said.
The first is to have friends outside the job that are important to the job. They include people like financiers and those who influence the work atmosphere.
Second is loyalty. Maintaining loyalty to those one works with and for, at all times, helps insure that the future is secure.
The third rule is that patronage is currency. It has influence and status where you need it.
The final rule: it is never personal, it is always business. This is the area where she believes it is hardest for women.
“Women have been unprepared for the golf culture,” she said. “If you aspire to be on the top, never say anything bad about golf. That is corporate suicide.”
Besides the glass ceiling, women in the corporate world also have the big debate over family and how to balance it with a career.
Insight
“Davis gave me insight on what the real world will be like once I finish school and start looking for a job,” said Sarah Poliachik, sophomore, education major.
Davis wants more women to understand that there are possibilities to be successful in the real world, and like Poliachik, Davis wants women to know what to expect and deal with.
There are several dilemmas in moving up the corporate ladder.
“Climbing the greasy pole to the top is never easy,” Davis said. “It’s even harder with children. Professional moms deal with so much garbage. I wish we’d stop knocking these mothers for being so successful. Our expectation for men to do anything outside the workplace is much lower than women.”
Women have the biggest barriers in the workforce. Davis’ research concludes that at least 68 percent of all conflict is based at home. Women have to choose between being a mother and being a successful businesswoman. Davis pointed out that if a woman chooses her career before her family that she is often viewed in a negative light.
Often those who are at top of corporate ladders, men and women alike, choose to forgo a family all together and focus on their jobs.
“Yes, they’re (women) tough and ambitious, but they’re not ball busters,” said Davis. “They have supportive homes and husbands.”
Davis wants women who are contemplating entering the corporate world to ask themselves if their prospective job would meet their core values, allow for growth and be challenging.
“If your needs are met, but you’re not comfortable, you won’t be happy,” Davis said. “Be honest with yourself, if you truly want to do it.”
Davis shared a few tips for entering the corporate workplace. She encourages women to seek out a mentor at the top. Follow them to help you determine whether or not you can take on the glass ceiling, she said, and that they will tell you what you need to succeed.
She also reminds women to take time to explore themselves in depth to get to know themselves and gather data to better understand the position they are considering taking.
“It can help you understand the top position,” said Davis.
Poliachik found the presentation informative.
“I hope I will be able to use this information I learned in to help me in the future,” she said.
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