Democratic values promoted in modern society concern not only political but also social freedoms. Opportunities for self-development and expressing individual interests openly are the perspectives that are guaranteed to a person in different areas. However, some acute issues arise regarding gender differences and equality between the sexes. In particular, the topic of bias in the workplace is a problem that concerns sociologists due to the prevailing trends and stereotypes in relation to the career opportunities of the two sexes. Providing equal opportunities for career growth and the realization of professional ambitions is a valuable objective to realize to ensure integral freedoms for both men and women. This work aims to identify the existing problems in this sphere, explain the possible causes and consequences of the issue, assess the data on the social gap, conduct a comparative analysis, and propose optimal solutions. Addressing the issue of inequality in the workplace at the organizational level is a valuable perspective for improving the situation globally and increasing the chances of both genders to pursue individual career opportunities freely.
Background of the Issue
Addressing gender inequality in the workplace is a global challenge due to the prevalence of this issue in many countries. According to Wu and Cheng (2016), this social gap is particularly acute in developing states. The researchers analyze the labor market in Chile and note that the current indicator of male employees, which is 80%, is an obvious outcome of the existing inequality policy (Wu & Cheng, 2016, p. 257). Appropriate interventions may help not only address the problem but also strengthen economies, which is a valuable prospect for developing countries. At the same time, the issue is equally relevant to developed states. For instance, Hideg and Ferris (2016) consider gender inequality in strong European Union economies. The authors cite the term benevolent sexism, which implies hidden but unambiguous stereotypes about male and female work responsibilities and opportunities (Hideg & Ferris, 2016). As a result, despite the severity of the problem under consideration in developing countries, the issue is relevant to different economic and social environments and can manifest itself both openly and hidden.
The issue of gender inequality in the workplace not only entails individual bias but also hinders the sustainable economic development of organizations. Wu and Cheng (2016) analyze the problem and note that the range of tasks assigned to employees often depends on their gender and does not imply assessing professional competencies as the essential aspects of work. Despite the contemporary emphasis on equality and the expansion of rights and freedoms, public stereotypes often dominate objective views of the current situation. This, in turn, inhibits progress and weakens the development capacity of organizations because bias causes conflicts and impairs employee performance. Access to self-development within specific industries is limited, and a person cannot realize one’s individual abilities and talents comprehensively. All of these aspects of the problem in question provide powerful arguments to address stereotyping and intolerance towards equality in the workplace and consider potentially effective solutions to the existing social gap.
Discussion
The assessment of the gender issue under consideration requires a two-way analysis since focusing on one specific gender can also be regarded as bias or sexism. In other words, despite the widely discussed topic of male dominance in the labor market, evaluating the existing views on stereotyping on both sides is an objective decision. Moreover, based on the research conducted, this issue deserves attention since significant findings have been obtained by studying individual sources and reviewing feedback from two genders regarding their attitudes towards inequality in the workplace.
By considering inequality in the workplace from a career perspective, the issue can be discussed from a managerial perspective. Based on the existing data, women in leadership positions are significantly fewer than men. As Tastad and Bass (2020) argue, gender disparity in this aspect is obvious, and in Figure 1, one can see what relevant statistics the authors offer. Based on these indicators, the conclusion is clear that women’s career prospects are limited, and the dominance of men in managerial positions is apparent.
Another aspect that deserves attention is the income and wage gap. According to the aforementioned statistical correlation, the number of male managers exceeds the proportion of female managers significantly, which, in turn, is a direct consequence of the compensation gap (Tastad & Bass, 2020). Since most of the senior roles are held by men, their pay level is higher than that of women. As a result, the unfair division of duties entails distinctive approaches to pay and argues for the existing inequality in the workplace from the perspective of income opportunities.
At the same time, the issue of gender bias in the labor market is not a topic that needs to be discussed only in terms of discrimination against women. According to some reports, today, men also report the existence of inequality in the workplace. According to Rosling (2019), in the UK, one of the studies has found that about a quarter of those surveyed (26%) report cases of employment discrimination they have experienced (para. 3). In Figure 2, this correlation is clearly displayed, and, no less important, a small percentage of the respondents find it difficult to give an unambiguous answer (Rosling, 2019). This indicates the insufficient knowledge of the population regarding the issue under consideration. As a result, the problem can be regarded as acute since, despite the sustainability of the British economy, this issue exists and causes challenges to the labor market.
Nevertheless, based on the data from the same study, the percentage of male discrimination reported by the respondents is higher than that of the female. Rosling (2019) notes that the key claim from men is that women have more freedom and fewer constraints in their decisions, which, thus, entails fewer obligations for them. Women remark that they are not taken seriously and are do not have equal opportunities to develop their professional potential freely and comprehensively due to the existing stereotypes. In Figure 3, the author provides this statistical correlation (Rosling, 2019). These statistics may be perceived unexpectedly since, according to the prevailing views, sexism is a gap that affects the female audience more often and more strongly. However, the findings prove that men are also discriminated against and have the right to expect the equal treatment of their work performance. As a result, the obtained data underscore the relevance of the problem of gender inequality in the workplace and indicate that the issue is not one-sided and should be considered in relation to both genders.
Finally, another significant aspect regarding the topic of gender inequality in the workplace is the leadership style supported in a particular organization. According to Sharma (2016), “effective diversity management requires a culture which is inclusive of a work environment that nurtures teamwork, participation, and cohesiveness” (p. 1212682). In other words, controlling non-discrimination is one of the aspects of leadership policies promoted by managers. Sharma (2016) states that today, despite the dynamic discussion of gender inequality, some HR managers are subject to social stereotypes and cannot change their approach to hiring in favor of more adaptive and equitable practices. This, in turn, creates additional challenges and serves as a brake on the advancement of equality. In addition, despite the individual nature of employee-oriented programs at the organizational level, globally, the situation can remain complex and ambiguous. Therefore, to propose objective interventions and solutions to the problem of gender inequality in the workplace, the involvement of the global context is a relevant mechanism for analyzing the issue.
Ethnology
Globalization is one of the significant aspects that determine the need to overcome the barrier of inequality and expand the possibilities for both sexes to realize their professional opportunities. As Sharma (2016) notes, diversity management has become one of the practices that aim to empower companies to address the issue under consideration. Various standards and norms designed to ensure equal access to working conditions are promoted by numerous companies, which indicates positive developments. Moreover, based on the current statistics, progress can be noted, albeit modest. According to Verniers and Vala (2018), “in the past 10 years, the global gender gap across education and economic opportunity and politics has closed by 4%, while the economic gap has closed by 3%” (p. e0190657). These indicators may be interpreted as a movement towards changes not only in the designated industries but also in the labor sector. Drawing attention to this issue is an additional incentive that helps reduce the negative impact of discriminatory practices on employees’ productive work and promotes including diversity management practices in different firms and companies.
The measures taken to combat gender inequality in the workplace are targeted globally. However, some restraints make it difficult to work productively in this direction. For instance, Verniers and Vala (2018) mention motherhood myths, which, as a social stereotype, have become part of the labor industry. In particular, the authors note that treating women as mothers who are attached to children and families affects the principles of providing career opportunities negatively (Verniers & Vala, 2018). The situation is complicated by the fact that this stereotype entails male discrimination. According to Verniers and Vala (2018), some men are forced to take care of children actively to enable women to fulfill their professional ambitions. This bi-directional bias is relevant to many countries where, despite robust economies, maternity and social welfare issues are controversial. Therefore, finding appropriate solutions to the problem of inequality in the workplace is a valuable task to address.
Solutions to the Issue
To address the issue of gender inequality in the workplace globally, appropriate interventions at the organizational level are necessary practices to establish an even and unbiased workflow. One of such measures, as Adamson et al. (2016) state, is an effective inclusion policy. Numerous organizational processes allow for the involvement of different employees to improve their skills and expand the potentially positive prospects for applying individual abilities and talents. If both men and women are given equal opportunities to realize their potential, this will not only address the problem under consideration but will also provide an additional incentive for companies themselves to increase productivity.
Another potentially efficient practice is to re-evaluate the existing HR approaches and utilize more honest and unbiased recruiting tools. According to Hideg and Ferris (2016), business leaders can offer HR professionals useful and effective training programs and courses designed to increase their knowledge of the negative impacts of sexism on the work environment. This, in turn, is evidence that senior leaders need to be engaged in such activities. Promoting inclusion initiatives should come from the leaders of organizations because, when selective recruitment strategies and inequitable distribution of work responsibilities and salaries are encouraged, leaders become the main culprits of the issue in question. As Sharma (2016) remarks, one of the central tasks in this area is to train HR specialists to identify cultural barriers timely and assess the degree of employees’ job satisfaction. If this approach is promoted, such a mode of work will become a valuable mechanism for tackling gender inequality at the organizational level.
Bringing unfair employers to justice is a practice that can help solve the issue in question. Verniers and Vala (2018) cite a UK initiative to report on those companies that violate ethical hiring and job sharing principles. According to the authors, any manifestation of bias towards subordinates is considered the violation of job descriptions and regarded as a reason for the imposition of sanctions (Verniers and Vala, 2018). Such a policy is an effective algorithm that may contribute to eliminating gender bias and encouraging the involvement of senior managers in subordinates’ problems.
Finally, as a viable solution to address gender inequality in the workplace, one should pay attention to relevant social bonuses offered by companies. As Wu and Cheng (2016) argue, “providing quality child-caring facilities or family leave policies for both fathers and mothers” is a practice that equalizes employees’ opportunities and helps them realize their career goals (p. 270). Such social assistance programs are valuable to both employees and employers. If a subordinate is not preoccupied with childcare issues, he or she demonstrates better performance and is a valuable worker. For this purpose, company leaders in cooperation with HR specialists can draw up special programs and offer them to those employees who need this support. The global adoption of these practices can help overcome the current ethical barriers and reduce gender inequality in the workplace.
Conclusion
The global fight against gender inequality in the workplace can be successful if appropriate initiatives and interventions are taken at the organizational level. This problem is acute and carries many negative implications. Moreover, gender inequality affects not only women but also men, which increases the need to address the issue. Among the manifestations of the problem, one can mention motherhood myths, limited career opportunities, leadership bias, and some other aspects. Selected practices and interventions may be seen as potentially powerful solutions to gender inequality in the workplace. They are inclusion policies, managers’ and HR specialists’ engagement, reporting systems, and social assistance programs. The use of effective tools can help overcome the existing ethical challenges and minimize the effects of sexism in organizations globally.
References
Adamson, M., Kelan, E. K., Lewis, P., Rumens, N., & Sliwa, M. (2016). The quality of equality: Thinking differently about gender inclusion in organizations. Human Resource Management International Digest, 24(7), 8-11.
Hideg, I., & Ferris, D. L. (2016). The compassionate sexist? How benevolent sexism promotes and undermines gender equality in the workplace. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 111(5), 706-727. Web.
Rosling, L. (2019). Men more likely than women to feel discriminated at work on the grounds of gender. SME Loans.
Sharma, A. (2016). Managing diversity and equality in the workplace. Cogent Business & Management, 3(1), 1212682.
Tastad, C., & Bass, D. (2020). The route to true gender equality? Fix the system, not the women. World Economic Forum. Web.
Verniers, C., & Vala, J. (2018). Justifying gender discrimination in the workplace: The mediating role of motherhood myths. PloS One, 13(1), e0190657.
Wu, R., & Cheng, X. (2016). Gender equality in the workplace: The effect of gender equality on productivity growth among the Chilean manufacturers. The Journal of Developing Areas, 50(1), 257-274. Web.