Assessing the impact of the glass ceiling on organisational commitment and intention to quit among non-academic female employees in South African public universities

Abstract

South Africa's public higher education sector continues to experience a disproportional representation of women in senior leadership roles, even years after the end of apartheid. This may be attributed to an invisible/transparent systemic barrier or obstacles that restrict career advancement for women and minorities, despite their equivalent qualifications and performance which is called "glass ceiling". The objective of this investigation was to evaluate the influence of the glass ceiling on the likelihood of quitting and the level of organisational commitment among female employees who are not academics at public universities in South Africa. Utilising a quantitative, cross-sectional survey that included 120 participants, perceptions of the glass ceiling were assessed on four distinct dimensions: acceptance, resilience, resignation, and denial. The results suggested that all variables were substantially correlated with a variety of organisational commitments (affective, normative, continuity). Resilience and resignation were significantly anticipated to affect the intention to resign, indicating that both women who strive to surmount obstacles and those who acquiesce to them may be more inclined to depart. The glass ceiling was discovered to diminish positive commitment while strengthening continuation commitment. The results underscore the importance of universities in dismantling structural and cultural barriers through transparent promotion processes, mentorship, and anti-discrimination policies. The study will add more insight into the impact of invisible barriers in higher education and calls for further longitudinal research.