What is the effect called when workers feel that their potential for advancement is limited due to organizational barriers?

The correct answer is the Glass Ceiling Effect. This term refers to an invisible barrier that prevents certain groups, particularly women and minorities, from advancing to higher levels of leadership and management within organizations, despite having the qualifications or capabilities necessary for promotion. The concept highlights how organizational structures, policies, and cultural norms can inhibit the progress of certain employees, leading them to feel that their opportunities for advancement are limited.

It's important to note that while other terms might describe various challenges within an organization—such as Structural Inequality, which encompasses broader systemic issues impacting equality, or Organizational Politics, which can create a competitive and often conflicting workplace environment—none specifically pinpoint the idea of an invisible barrier to promotion as accurately as the Glass Ceiling Effect. Cultural Bias could refer to preconceived notions about individuals based on their cultural background, but it does not directly address the specific limitation on advancement within professional hierarchies that the Glass Ceiling Effect encapsulates.