Hi everyone,it has been long since I posted something but the reason was because we went for hour long holiday but now we are back to the normal school program.
Today I want to talk on how to overcome workplace gender inequality.
Gender discrimination is in many instances illegal, definitely immoral and just plain wrong. In the workplace, workers should be judged, promoted and valued based on the merit of their effort, contribution and ability – not their gender. So what should you do when you think gender discrimination is occurring in your workplace? Consider the following:
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- An important first step in overcoming gender discrimination and inequality is to recognize that it’s actually happening. Just as an alcoholic can’t deal with their alcoholism until theyadmit they have a problem, gender discrimination can’t be overcome until all relevant parties are willing to admit that it’s occuring in their organization. Unfortunately, recognizing that gender discrimination exists is uncomfortable, and many people would rather remain silent or pretend it’s not taking place.
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- Start talking about it – especially if you’re the one getting discriminated against. No one should be treated unfairly. Talking about discrimination or inequality due to gender brings the issue out into open so it can be addressed. If you feel comfortable confronting the offender, then do so. If you don’t feel it’s appropriate to confront the person doing the discriminating, then speak with a trusted supervisor, manager or member of your company’s human resource department. Once a company is aware of that discrimination is occuring, it’s their responsibility to make sure it’s addressed appropriately. However, avoid gossiping. Spreading gossip – whether true or false – will only hurt your cause and likely create a worse situation for both you and the offender.
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- If you’re a business owner, make sure your organization provides proper training on gender equality to all management personnel and supervisors. Teach managers what constitutes gender discrimination and inequality, and train them how to identify both the obvious and not so obvious signs that gender discrimination is occuring. But being able to spot gender discrimination is only the first step, managers must also be taught to how to deal with it and prevent it from happening again in the future.
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- As much as possible, make sure your company, division or department has clear policies for advancement and promotion – and then follow them. This will help ensure that gender discrimination does not occur, will set a standard of performance for employees to meet if they want to advance and will decrease the likeliness of unecessary (and uncomfortable) conflicts or lawsuits.
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- Make sure that all employees are aware of what gender discrimination is and that gender discrimination is an unacceptable practice in your organization. This in and of itself will go a long way to establishing an environment and atmosphere of mutual respect and gender equality.
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- While we recognize that gender discrimination can happen to both sexes, it is predominately a problem that occurs to women. There is also a stigma in corporate America, and within most corporations, that women have to work harder than men to acheive the same level of career success. For these reasons, we recommend showcasing those women in your organization that have become successful and demonstrate how they achieved their success.
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- Publicize the efforts your company, division or department is making to promote gender equality. Become a role model to other businesses in your industry, your vendors and your local workforce of what a gender neutral environment – where everyone is treated equality – looks like.
- Develop a written set up policies to promote gender equality in your organization. (1) Your policies should ensure that men and women receive equal pay for equal work. (2) Policies should promote gender equality in recruitment, training, hiring and promotion practices. (3) Make sure policies allow men and women to balance their careers with their personal lives. (4) Your policies should strictly prohibit all forms of harassment – especially sexual harassment. (5) Make sure that it is known that nondiscrimination policies apply to all company employees, including management. (6) Policies should outline the procedure for reporting gender discrimination without fear of retribution
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What are some of the most common instances of gender inequality in the workplace?
- Gender discrimination in the workplace is often seen when an employer creates an environment that’s unwelcoming or uncomfortable for a particular gender, according to Daniel Kalish, managing partner of HKM Employment Attorneys LLP. He says this can happen in the form of uttering inappropriate jokes, name calling or stereotypical comments about men or women.
Workplace discrimination happens among both genders. It can be glaringly obvious or difficult to spot, depending on the situation. A hostile work environment could be classified from issues with pay, job classification, vacation days or benefits, as well as other important work-related factors.
“Gender discrimination is rarely overt,” explains Jonathon Krol, employment attorney at Reminger Co., LPA, a civil defense litigation firm. “It often rears its head in the context of employment privileges and disciplinary measures.” For example, an employer may give perks or promotions to male employees that it does not afford to females; or, an employer might handle discipline differently for women versus men.
It’s important to note that there are several forms of workplace discrimination that are unlawful in America – such as pregnancy discrimination and sexual harassment. However, there are several scenarios that aren’t necessarily against the law, but still shouldn’t have to be dealt with.