Final answer:
The term 'glass ceiling' refers to the invisible barriers preventing women from achieving top positions due to discrimination, deeply ingrained in social patterns and gender roles.
Step-by-step explanation:
The term that refers to the "less visible barriers against woman's full participation in the labor force" is known as the glass ceiling. This term encompasses the invisible barrier caused by discrimination that prevents women from rising to the highest levels of status within an organization, be it in corporations, governments, academic institutions, or religious organizations. Despite progress over the years, the glass ceiling persists, exemplified by the statistic that at the beginning of 2021, only 41 of the world's largest 500 companies were run by women, representing a mere eight percent of these large companies.
These barriers are systemic and go beyond individual instances of discrimination, deeply rooted in social patterns and gender roles, particularly those associated with child-rearing and motherhood. Legal and ethical practices demand that organizations promote equity among all genders, yet women continue to face challenges like the "motherhood penalty" and earn less money than men for comparable work. Furthermore, historical contexts show that women's employment outside of the home was often seen as unnatural, and even as societal views progressed, wage inequality and discrimination in the workplace remained prevalent. Addressing these inequities not only has societal implications but also significant economic ones, as diverse participation in the labor market can drive economic growth.