Mr. Campbell: We have an employee complaint and a possible lawsuit. She is the branch manager of the New York store.

Mr. Chambers: What is her complaint?

Mr. Campbell: She is saying that she has hit a glass ceiling. She was expecting a promotion and it was given to man with less education and work experience. She is saying that sexism is taking place.

Mr. Chambers: I know the man who was promoted. He is climbing the corporate ladder fast. He is very good. How should we handle her complaint?

Mr. Campbell: I was thinking we should promote the woman into another department.

Mr. Chambers: Sounds good to me.

Learn the meaning of “climbing the corporate ladder” and “glass ceiling.” Use both ESL expressions in the workplace.

Both of these expressions are used in the workplace. They have to do with being promoted or moving up to a higher position. A promotion is when you get a new job title and usually more money.

The expression “climb the corporate ladder” means to be promoted. You move up to a higher position, just like climbing a ladder. It's very slow and it's one step at a time. The position at the very top of the ladder is the CEO. The person in charge of the whole company. There are many other positions and people on the ladder all the way down to the bottom. This would be the lowest position in the company.

The expression “glass ceiling” is used when talking about sexism or racism. Everyone wants to climb the corporate ladder and to make more money. Everyone has the same chance to get promoted. That is how it should be in the corporate world. But sexism and racism still do exist. This is when someone is not liked because they are not the right sex or race. They hit a “glass ceiling.”

We use this expression because glass is clear. We can see through it. So when someone is climbing the corporate ladder and they look up they see all the positions they can be promoted to. The glass ceiling sometimes stops them. They think they can get to those different positions, but because they are not a certain race or sex, they are stopped. They are not promoted any farther and stay in the position they are in.

In the example above a female manager feels she hit a “glass ceiling.” She believes she is not being promoted because she is a female. Instead a male was promoted and he had less work experience and education. He is “climbing the corporate ladder quickly.” So to avoid any problems Mr. Campbell and Mr. Chambers decide to promoted the woman into another department.

Learn other business expressions here.

Follow and connect with Jason