This paper examines workplace gender bias and the glass ceiling, with a focus on how Ernst & Young (E&Y) has developed strategies to address these barriers. Drawing on research showing that women remain concentrated in lower-wage roles across industries, the paper evaluates E&Y's approaches to breaking the glass ceiling, including flexible scheduling, mentorship programs, and 360-degree career management processes. The paper also proposes two additional steps E&Y could take: partnering with schools in underserved communities to build a diverse talent pipeline, and expanding global operations through telecommuting to access specialized expertise without geographic constraints.
There are many different types of bias within the working environment. At times, one had to be a white male to be a manager in many organizations. The glass ceiling clearly remains a powerful force within the workplace. The wage-gender gap — the discrepancy in earnings between equally qualified men and women — has diminished in many career paths, but still persists. Qualified women are blocked from upper-level managerial positions, and their absence at the very top skews the distribution when they are clustered in the middle. Research suggests that it takes approximately 30 percent penetration of women managers to begin moving the distribution more rapidly, indicating that women remain concentrated in lower-wage workplace settings in almost every industry (Cohen and Huffman, 2007, p. 699).
Ernst & Young, a major accounting firm, recognizes that it is in their best interest to find new and innovative ways to break the glass ceiling, to provide more gender-neutral opportunities, and to allow for flexible scheduling that meets the needs of working parents, as well as the evolving needs of a new generation of clients.
Breaking the glass ceiling is significant for Ernst & Young because of the changing demographic and psychographic needs of both employees and clients. In order to find and retain top talent, the company recognizes that it must adopt more innovative approaches to building its pool of experts — including new ways of structuring schedules, client meetings, and telecommuting arrangements. This is particularly relevant in the global business environment, where talent may not be geographically convenient but can be applied to specific business needs in a cost-effective manner.
Additionally, in the 21st-century business paradigm, management must identify and develop high-potential talent so that the company can compete aggressively on the global stage. By broadening hiring to include women, minorities, and individuals who require non-traditional schedules, Ernst & Young gains access to a wider base of talent and a more diverse range of perspectives.
Ernst & Young takes an innovative approach to defining roles for specific individuals and clients in ways that best serve both parties. The firm asks its partners and clients to help identify skills and roles so that the right employee can be matched with the right client. The company offers far more robust training and mentorship programs designed to leverage experience for the benefit of others. It embraces flexibility in hours and scheduling as long as the work is completed and the client is satisfied. In addition, high-potential employees are placed in a rigorous program that allows them to gain experience across several facets of accounting and management.
The underlying philosophy emphasizes flexibility and a forward-looking perspective: retaining talent is preferable to the continuous cycle of hiring and training new employees.
"E&Y's 360-degree career development and tracking program"
"Proposed community outreach and telecommuting expansion strategies"
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