Despite banking sector having more female employees than males, women are still underrepresented in management and senior management levels. This study has focused on the effect of 'glass ceiling' factors on women’s career development in Greece. 'Glass ceiling' factors namely, individual factors, family factors, organizational factors and cultural factors lie within the range of low level representation. Women have long faced discrimination at work, yet what we are witnessing in the Greek banking sector - during the global economic crisis- is a 'glass ceiling' effect, where fewer women reaching middle management are able to ascend to executive roles. In the financial sector, in particular, there seems to be a growing recognition of the importance of diversity. However, more banking companies need to assert a commitment to gender equality by promoting family-friendly and flexible work policies. Breaking the 'glass ceiling' still isn’t an easy feat but once it is achieved, there is no going back, because once broken, 'glass ceiling' stays broken.
Papazoglou - Mitropoulou Emilia