:: COMPARE ::
The short answer
The ceiling is a story about the top. The broken rung shows the decisive blockage is at the very first promotion — and you cannot fix the top of a pipeline that empties near the bottom.
Side by side
| Aspect | Glass ceiling | Broken rung |
|---|---|---|
| Located | Near the top | At first promotion |
| Affects | Few | Many |
| Measured by | Board counts | Promotion ratios |
| Named | 1978 | 2010s |
What each one means
An unacknowledged barrier that stops someone rising past a certain level, however qualified — originally and still mainly about women, and extended to other groups held back the same way. Invisible because nobody writes it down.
Full definition of Glass Ceiling →The first promotion to manager, where women fall behind men and never catch up. Not a ceiling at the top — a missing step near the bottom of the ladder.
Full definition of Broken Rung →