Problem Background
Building a gender equality society has many economic gains because women are essential in making the world go round. No sustainable economy can develop without including women in choices, resources, or opportunities. According to the World Bank, the long-run GDP per capita would rise by 20% if only gender gaps in the workplace were sealed. If women were given the same opportunities as men, it would lead to an economic gain of $5-6 trillion increase in economic gain (World Bank, 2018). Women and gender equality are essential in addressing climate change, conflict management, food security, and violence.
However, the issue of gender inequality in organizations has become complex due to organizational processes, structures, and practices. Some of the detrimental gender inequities are embedded in human resources (HR) practices. Different HR practices, including decision-making, policies, and enactment, will likely influence women’s pay, hiring, training, and promotions in the workplace (Carneiro, 2023). This has led to women having a lower socioeconomic status in society.
Women undergo personal discrimination when they are told or interact with the outcomes of HR-based decisions in the structure of sexist comments. They face subjective problems such as stigmatization, which negatively affect their mental and physical health in the workplace (Carneiro, 2023). In addition, women may experience lower pay, lower chances of promotion, reduced status, and reduced job opportunities, keeping them disadvantaged in society. This study will evaluate gender inequality in the workplace and related issues and provide recommendations on how to alleviate these issues.
Historical Factors of Gender Inequality in the Workplace
One of the historical factors that led to gender inequality was social events and attitudes. In the past, women’s livelihood and ability to work entirely depended on who they married because the typical role of women was to raise children and control the house as the prime decision-maker. The education level for women was also significantly lower, not giving them a place in the formal workplace.
In the early 20th century, only 2 percent of people aged 18-24 had the opportunity to join institutions of higher learning, and one-third of the population was women (Ryan, 2022). Although these women did not have to do manual jobs, their choices in the formal industry were constrained. However, between the 1930s and 1970s, there were increased opportunities for educated women, although it was secondary careers, whereby their husbands’ careers were primary (Ryan, 2022).
As time passed, women’s attitudes towards jobs changed as they learned they could balance home chores and formal jobs. This trend of including women in the workforce has been increasing, although women are still underrepresented. In today’s world, women are still less educated than men, which has given men more advantages in the workforce.
Gender inequality in the political arena has been an issue in the past. In the early 20th century, women did not have voting rights because they were considered unfit for political decisions (Ryan, 2022). After a challenging and lengthy struggle, women were granted the right to vote on August 18, 1940 (Grabham, 2023). The UK Sex Disqualification Act, which was supposed to grant women equal rights in civil roles, was rarely invoked in court (Grabham, 2023). This was because of its timing during the interwar years, residing in the legislation, and the attitudes towards women, which mainly depended on the role of men who returned from the war. This legislation was held in the statute books for almost one hundred years, ignored by legislators (Grabham, 2023).
However, the condition was worse for the developing countries, where most of their legislation did not provide women with equal treatment. Women still face discriminatory regulations that limit their ability to participate in the workplace compared to men. They face training, recruitment, and promotion challenges because most top job positions are reserved for men, especially in developing countries.
Another historical factor contributing to gender inequality is war, because women were considered less important in warfare. Men were viewed as more reliable because of their ability to fight and bear arms (Grabham, 2023). Wars led to the development of sexually differentiated social roles whereby female roles were taken as subordinate to the masculine male, despite the use of women in war factories and their involvement in the resistance (Grabham, 2023). This shows that women were considered inferior in wars because they were not directly involved. Instead, they would be left behind to help produce food, ammunition, and other war-related commodities.
Current Issues
Gender inequality has impacted different economic issues in the workplace, including women’s lack of promotion opportunities. Women in the workplace are commonly ignored when it comes to promotions, especially in male-dominated industries such as mining (Robinson, 2023). In addition, the pay gap between females and males is relatively high even when working on the same level.
Finally, there is significant job segregation in the industry, whereby women tend to be concentrated in some industries. In contrast, men are placed in others (Robinson, 2023). This has created a pay gap because, in most cases, women are mostly given the lower-paying industries, such as secretaries and clerks.
Political
Gender inequality in the workplace can be attributed to various political issues, including the lack of political representation. In most countries, women have less political representation in national and workplace leadership, making them ignored in major decision-making policies (Robinson, 2023). In addition, women have not been given adequate legal protection against job discrimination in the workplace. Although there are laws and policies against discrimination, they are not strictly enforced; hence, some women still face discrimination and prejudice in the workplace.
Social
One of the main current gender inequality issues in the workplace affecting women is sexual harassment. Many women have been sexually harassed, making them feel unsafe and unvalued (Carneiro, 2023). In addition, some workplaces lack inclusion and diversity, whereby only men dominate the industry, making it difficult for women to join and advance their careers (Carneiro, 2023). Finally, there is a gender stereotype whereby it is believed that there are some jobs for males and others for females. This has led to high discrimination and bias against women as they seek to gain equal workplace rights as men.
Groups Affected by Gender Inequality
The main group affected by gender inequality is the female gender. Women are the primary victims of gender inequality across society. Obama once said, “A woman deserves equal pay for equal work. She deserves to have a baby without sacrificing her job” (Barr, 2020). In addition, Ruth Ginsburg, an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court, stated, “Women belong in all places where decisions are being made” (CEO Magazine, 2019). This shows that women’s inclusivity in the workplace is a very crucial matter.
Changes That Can Improve the Problem of Gender Inequality
One of the main changes is to close the gender pay gap between males and females. Women should have equal pay as men when working in the same job class (Carneiro, 2023). Although this intervention has been made, it has not been keenly enforced by the government, and in some countries, women receive less pay than men while working in the same job classes. Implementing equal pay will help ensure that women feel empowered to work in male-dominated fields.
Another important action is to include women in organizational leadership. Women are crucial in decision-making as they help to enhance diversity and bring a different perspective to problems (Carneiro, 2023). When women are involved in the organization’s top leadership, they will be able to express the needs of other women, such as the need for paid maternal leave. In addition, women can coordinate teams effectively by forming a family-like relationship, unlike males, who have an authoritative nature.
Intervention Already Attempted
One of the interventions that has already been implemented is rights awareness. This is whereby women have been made aware of their rights in the workplace, and they can use them to overcome the challenges of gender inequality (Carneiro, 2023). For instance, issues of sexual harassment are now severe crimes that are punishable by the law because women know their rights.
In the past, women were mostly confined to their homes. They lacked the freedom of association and movement, which hindered them from receiving information. However, the use of available technology has enabled women to get information regarding their rights; hence, they are now more confident when reporting issues of gender inequality in the workplace.
References
Barr, S. (2020). Nine of Barack Obama’s best feminist quotes. The Independent. Web.
Carneiro, M. M. (2023). When the going gets tough, women get it going but remain ignored. Women & Health, 63(3), 157–158. Web.
CEO Magazine. (2019). International Women’s Day quotes: 17 inspiring lessons from world leaders. The CEO Magazine. Web.
Grabham, E. (2023). Decertifying gender: The challenge of equal pay. Feminist Legal Studies, 14(2). Web.
Robinson, B. (2023). The pay equity gap between genders is widening in 2023, new study shows. Forbes. Web.
Ryan, M. K. (2022). Addressing workplace gender inequality: Using the evidence to avoid common pitfalls. British Journal of Social Psychology, 62(1). Web.
World Bank. (2018). Overview. World Bank. Web.