The Glass Wall. Success strategies for women at work – and businesses that mean business

Forget the glass ceiling – there’s also a glass wall dividing men and women in the workplace, separating them in terms of career success. In this 10th anniversary edition, the authors look at what has changed for women in the workplace since 2016. Spoiler alert – not a lot.

The Glass Wall is a pragmatic guide to success for women at work. Since the first edition was published ten years ago, whilst there has been some meaningful progress, in some areas things have gone into reverse.

In this 10th anniversary edition, the authors examine the latest research and gauge whether things have improved or not for women at work since the #MeToo movement and the global pandemic, both causing seismic change. Every week brings new headlines that cause unease as much as reason to celebrate. Women still make up less than 10% of CEOs in FTSE 100 companies; a 2024 report by the Treasury Committee found that women in the city are still subject to shocking levels of sexual harassment and bullying; generative AI is sustaining stereotyped images and exacerbating inequity and the ‘manosphere’ is spawning a new generation of misogyny.

In terms of real power, both in government and at work, things haven’t changed enough. Debates about the pros and cons of remote and hybrid working continue to impact women and their careers. More companies offer parental leave to new parents, but most of it is still taken by mothers rather than fathers. The new debate around menopause at work is positive, unless it becomes another stick to keep women down.

The Glass Wall, 10th Anniversary Edition helps new groups of women to navigate the workplace, make their lives happier and empower real change.