The term &quot;Glass Ceiling&quot; was created to help discuss the difficulties for advancement by women and minority &#x2F; upwardly mobile individuals in the workplace. I&#x27;d venture a guess HN is likely stratified to a predominately middle-aged or younger demographic (US), albeit with a significant number of professionals with decades of longevity with technology. So, not the primary target of the concept, but a group that definitely has grown up with the concept being discussed as a social&#x2F;professional issue.<p>However, outside of technology fields, from personal experience and numerous discussions with peers (anecdotes), I think I finally hit the right term to describe a different &#x27;advancement&#x27; conundrum: &quot;The Grey Ceiling.&quot;<p>To put the idea in blunt terms, there&#x27;s no room for advancement and career development when the prior generation(s) are stuck in the workforce for whatever reason(s) - lack of retirement savings, dependent adult children or being part of the &#x27;Sandwhich Generation&#x27; or significant debt accumulated over the years.<p>The Grey Ceiling has no incentive to assist up and coming professionals to grow, to increase their income, or become peers in the corporate environment. The Gray Ceiling sees youth as a threat - insofar as if a younger worker gets a raise it&#x27;s less monies available for themselves. The Gray Ceiling is not a &#x27;guidebook&#x27; or &#x27;conspiracy&#x27; to keep the younger professionals from advancing, but rather simply a result of self-interest amongst a cohort of people.<p>Of course there are dozens of firms that take on mentorship and development type programs. Like becoming an i-Banking Analyst. Of course there&#x27;s light at the end of the 80 hour work week tunnel!