Equality, as we know it today, has been formed and molded into an idea that is still changing. Government officials, laws, and most influentially, people of the United States, have aided in the prevention of oppression towards women of all races and classes. The efforts of these individuals are counteracted with instances throughout history to prove that these men and women are not treated as if there were an equal condition. There are many instances of discrimination still present today, and one place it is most relevant is in the workplace. Not only are workers separated by gender in their place of work, but also, many women are being segregated inside their own group by race.
In present scenario many countries have made significant progress towards achieving gender equality in various aspects of the society, particularly in employment and education. However, there still exist incidences of gender disparities in various occupations and industries. For instance, in many professions women continue to earn less than men, and are less likely to advance in their careers compared to men. Similarly, men still encounter more challenges in accessing family-friendly work policies, or flexible working arrangements compared to their women counterparts. Real gender equality in the workplace can only be attained when employees have access to and enjoy the same rewards, resources and opportunities regardless of whether they are a woman or a man.
All human beings have the right to work and the same employment opportunities. Business organizations should therefore strive towards the removal of barriers to the full and equal participation of men and women in the workforce. The same criteria should be applied during the processes of selection and recruitment. Men and women should have equal chances to employment opportunities on the basis of their qualification and competence. Businesses should endeavour to provide unlimited access to all occupations and industries, including leadership roles for women and men. Men and women also have rights to equal remuneration, benefits and treatment in respect of work of equal or comparable value.
All workers should be accorded equal consideration in the evaluation and assessment of the quality of their work regardless of gender. Additionally, it is important for workplaces to provide equal opportunities when it comes to promotion, job security, and all benefits and conditions of service such as training and career advancement. With regard to social security, both men and women workers are entitled to paid leave and retirement benefits. They also have equal rights to protection of health and safe working conditions, including reproductive health. Women have faced great difficulty in the past to gain equal rights as men in the workplace. Currently, in the twenty-first century may seem that women have made substantial leeway in obtaining the equal rights and treatment in the workplace as men.
Women still face inequalities that are barriers preventing them from advancing in their careers. Gender inequality is not the only barrier in the workplace. Race, social class and perceived gender roles are barriers as well. Inequality in the workplace has negatively affected women to advancing in their careers. The purpose of this paper is critically analysing the factors that have negatively affected women in their ability to achieve higher positions and salaries in the workplace.
This paper will contain an analysis of discrimination among women in the workplace by their social class and race, how perceived gender roles have influenced perceptions of employers and the consequences of gender inequality has all contributed to the barriers of women to move ahead in the workplace. “Women’s struggle for employment equality began long before the feminist movement of the 1970s, especially for those of minority and working-class backgrounds” (Ortiz & Roscigo, 2009, p. 336). This quote is important because it emphasizes that women have faced inequality for a long time in the workplace. Presently, women still face inequity in workplace that has become a barrier to obtaining a higher potential.
Women experience discrimination in their workplace by their class and race in which has become normalized by society. Women with lower working status jobs face discrimination more than middle and higher class women. Finally, workplaces should eliminate any forms of gender discrimination on the grounds of marital status, pregnancy or maternity, and in relation to family and caring responsibilities for both women and men. The necessary supporting social services and facilities should be put in place to enable parents to effectively combine family obligations with work responsibilities.
The achievement of gender equality in the workplace is not only right and fair, but also very important for the productivity of a business organization and a nation. Research shows that companies with gender equality tend to perform better. This is because they have a diversity of talents and varied perspectives necessary for a more holistic analysis of issues facing the organization, leading to better decision-making and spurring greater collective efforts towards implementing those decision.
