Abstract

This study aims to analyze the factors causing the Glass Ceiling among female workers in the public sector, with a case study on the Regional Apparatus Organizations (OPD) of Gorontalo City. This research employs a quantitative approach using the Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) method. Data were collected through questionnaires with a total sample of 46 respondents. The findings reveal that the Individual Factor is the main barrier in the formation of the glass ceiling, with the highest weight of 0.288, followed by Organizational Factor (0.279), Family Factor (0.276), and Cultural Factor (0.160). Overall, the most dominant issues across nearly all categories are sexual harassment, wage gaps, and limited promotion opportunities. These results underscore the urgency of reforming organizational systems and cultures to become more gender-responsive, as well as the need for support from families and communities to reduce invisible barriers in women’s career development. Theoretically, this study supports the concept of social role theory, which explains that gender stereotypes arise from social norms that assign women to domestic roles while men occupy public roles. Issues with the highest weight, such as sexual harassment and wage gaps, demonstrate that patriarchal norms continue to influence workplace relations within bureaucratic structures. Meanwhile, the lowest-weighted issue, gender bias in the workplace, indicates that although efforts toward equality exist, such biases persist and have the potential to hinder women’s long-term career advancement. Practically, the implications of this study not only contribute to improving the performance of local governments but are also aligned with the commitment to Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Goal 5: gender equality.

Keywords: Glass Ceiling, Female Workers, Analytical Hierarchy Process