Despite progress in workplace equality, women continue to encounter barriers that hinder their advancement to higher-level positions, commonly referred to as the glass ceiling. One significant challenge arises from organizational factors, such as gender stereotypes, which limit women’s access to managerial roles. In this context, leaders play a vital role in fostering strong relationships with subordinates to help mitigate glass ceiling effects. Research examining gender discrimination through the lens of social exchange between leaders and employees remains limited. This study investigates how leader–member exchange influences career satisfaction and work engagement by addressing the glass ceiling. Data were collected from 469 female employees across various companies in Indonesia. The measurement model was validated through convergent and discriminant validity tests, and hypotheses were assessed using partial least squares analysis. Findings indicate that leader–member exchange negatively impacts the glass ceiling, while the glass ceiling itself negatively affects career satisfaction and work engagement. Furthermore, the glass ceiling mediates the relationship between leader–member exchange and both career satisfaction and work engagement. These results suggest that leaders should cultivate high-quality relationships with employees to reduce the barriers imposed by the glass ceiling.
