Men and Women at the Workplace

Posted: September 3rd, 2013

Men and Women at the Workplace

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Men and Women at the Workplace

Equality at the workplace has improved over the recent decades. More women are taking up both family life and professional life, they are also taking up positions that were otherwise considered to belong to men and they are doing better than men are in their professions. Similarly, careers that were considered to belong to women such as hair and beauty, nursing, secretarial, amongst others, are also being taken up by the main. In other words, the competition is high at the workplace. However, the needed equality treatment at the workplace has not yet reached the targeted level. Men and women are still not being treated equally at the workplace.

In the recent years, more women have attained the top positions in the corporate ladder. However, this is a small ratio in relation to the number of men holding the same positions. Although the majority of the stakeholders in the companies claim that only few women are willing to apply for these top positions, there have been discrimination reports for the few women who are willing to apply. Companies are more likely to promote a woman to the vice position and then promote a man to the executive office even though they are both qualified for the top position.

In a report posted by USA Today, “Women held 49.83% of the nation’s 132 million jobs in June [2009] and they are gaining the vast majority of the jobs in the few sectors of the economy”, (Cauchon, 2009). However, the president for Women’s Policy Research, Heidi Hartmann, says that this change does not show full equality at the workplace. Women still workers fewer hours than the men do. Additionally, women have more part-time jobs although they (women) earn 77% of the men’s earnings (Couchon, 2009).

According to a research conducted by Pettit and Hook (2009) in twenty-one countries, women did not do well in all measures of equality. For example, Italy was the first in matters concerning in wage inequality while it attained the twentieth position in issues pertaining to women employment. Sweden ranked first in women employment but ranked fourteenth in full-time employment. In occupational integration, Belgium attained the first position. However, it was number eighteen in matters pertaining to women’s employment.

Pettit and Hook further argue that the division of house labor has a major role to play in understanding workplace treatment. In their thesis, the two authors state that the bearing and the rearing of children have a large role to play in this issue. For example, countries have not utilized on the ways in which childcare can become accessible to the parents and especially the working mothers. In the United States for example, low-earning mothers must find a way of working and taking care of the young children as hiring childcare is very expensive. Although some companies incorporate childcare departments, insurance policies limit in the number of children making up a particular center.

On another level of workplace treatment, there are problems pertaining to the division of labor. Particular jobs are still considered to belong to a particular gender. In most companies, the receptionists and the secretaries are of female gender. Although this may be attributed to the willingness of males to take up such positions, it may also be attributed to the management preference. In other words, the tendency of a particular sex getting a particular position is more likely to take place in the majority of the organizations. In addition, cases of sexual harassments and mistreatment have not yet declined to the needed levels.

Equal treatment at the workplace is yet to meet the required level. Although there are major, positive changes visible today, companies must do more to ensure that both male and female parties are able to enjoy the work environment. Schools are offering equal opportunities for career access. This should be depicted in the workplace.

References

Couchon, D. (2009). Women Gain as Men Lose Jobs. USA Today September 3. Retrieved From http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2009-09-02-womenwork_N.htm

Pettit, B., & Hook, J. L. (2009). Gendered tradeoffs: Family, social policy, and economic inequality in twenty-one countries. New York, N.Y: Russell Sage Foundation.