Mitigating the effect of glass ceiling on women’s career advancement: does organizational justice matter?

Purpose This study aims to examine the impact of personal, societal and organizational barriers, collectively called the glass ceiling, on the career advancement of Ghanaian women in the banking sector. In addition, it explores the moderating role of organizational justice in mitigating these barriers. Design/methodology/approach A quantitative research approach was used, with questionnaires administered to 378 respondents from corporate organizations within Ghana’s banking sector. Data were analysed using hierarchical regression to assess the relationships between barriers and career advancement and the moderating role of organizational justice. Findings The study revealed that only organizational barriers significantly and negatively impacted women’s career advancement. Procedural justice positively moderated the relationship between personal and societal obstacles and career advancement, while interactional justice moderated the relationship between societal barriers and career progression. Furthermore, distributive justice moderated the relationship between societal and organizational barriers and career advancement. Research limitations/implications The study is limited to the banking sector, which may affect generalizability. Future research could explore other industries and use qualitative methods for deeper insights. Practical implications The findings emphasize the need for fair and inclusive organizational policies to support women’s career progression by reducing systemic barriers. Social implications Enhancing organizational justice fosters workplace equity, empowering women to overcome career obstacles and achieve leadership roles. Originality/value This study contributes to the literature by focusing on the Ghanaian banking sector and highlighting the role of organizational justice in mitigating career barriers for women. It also integrates social role theory to explain how justice mechanisms can facilitate career advancement.