Gender Inequality In The Workplace

Researchers have proposed a variety of explanations for systematic gender inequality in the workplace. Cultural benefits, the actions of male employees, the actions of the female employees, and the actions of the employer can contribute to intentional or unintentional gender discrimination (Ngo, Foley, Wong, & Loi, 2003). It has also been mentioned that women make less money because their work environment is generally safer than the stereotypical male work environment; childcare, cashiers, and secretary positions as opposed to firefighters, truck drivers and construction workers (Parcheta, Kaifi, & Khanfar, 2013). Perhaps the most dominant reasoning for women receiving less pay is the carrying over of biological roles into the workplace. Female employees often take time off to have a family, take care of a family, and are the primary caregiver of said family.

Despite women having to take care of the domestic responsibilities and maintain a successful career, women are making just a mere 64.4% of what their male counterparts make. The inequality leaps off the paper (Julie Cool). Women being in the workforce have created a plethora of problems associated with gender inequality. Additionally aside from the inequalities, the new step for women to balance a home life and a job has brought change in the family structure. Mothers are not just mothers anymore, but are Doctors, Teachers, Entrepreneurs, and politicians as

“The wage gap has narrowed by more than one-third since 1960”(Hegewisch, 2010) and “the share of companies with female CEOs increased more than six-fold” (Warner, 2014) since 1997. As well as the truth that men and women’s earnings differ for many other reasons besides the presence of sexism. “Discrimination in labor market, in education/retiring programs, unequal societal norms at home and the constrained decisions men and women make about work and home issues” (Hegewisch, 2010) are also factors that can contribute to the unequal treatment of man and women in the workplace. Yet even with most of these variables removed women are still being paid less than men, sexually harassed in the workplace and hold very little managerial positions.

The roles and characteristics related to males and females vary according to time and culture (Keating 2003). A concept of male breadwinner model gave important impacts on the Australian economic, politics, culture and social field in early twentieth century (Broomhill and Sharp 2005). However, in the past few decades, there has been gradual changes occurred in the Australian gender order (ibid.). Even though men are the dominant gender in the workforce, due to globalization, women gained more opportunity to have jobs in the workforce (Jones 1983). In addition, there are increasing number of women in Australian workforce after World War 2 (Broomhill and Sharp 2005). But still gender inequality has been ongoing debate in the workforce for

The authors provide several examples throughout the chapter that prove that discriminatory gender constructions based on sex and race are manifested in the institution of work. One of the most significant examples is the wage gap, which is prevalent across career fields. According to the authors, “Even the most conservative analysis recognizes at least a 5% pay gap across all jobs (Kolesnikova & Liu, 2011),” (Palczewski 187). There are several factors that contribute to this wage disparity, but the book outlines that organizational structure and microcommunication are what makes work gendered. Discriminatory gender constructions are also manifested in sex segregated professions. Predominantly female occupations, like nursing or teaching, are

Over the past few decades, great strides have been made by women in the workplace. This increased number in women in the workplace does not mean equality however. Even with equal qualifications and achievements, women are still not given all the opportunities that men have. The chapter in the textbook, “Gender at Work”, shows us more of these inequalities in the workplace. Such inequalities cause gender segregation of jobs and can be linked with the pay inequality in the labor force. Even in jobs that are predominantly filled by women, men earn more than women. Women are often stereotyped as being family focused and not as able to travel, therefore they tend to get passed up for promotions (Garson p.353). This invisible barrier that keeps women from moving up the executive ladder is referred to as the “glass ceiling” (Baxter and Wright p. 346). Women also tend to do more domestic work, or unpaid labor and caregiving. This extra unpaid work is referred to as “the third shift” and is largely rested on the shoulders of women (Gersel p. 352). Consequently, this seems to be one of the biggest things holding women back from taking on jobs that are normally considered male

and that is why there may be a difference in compensation. Even though the numbers of women who major in those fields isn’t large, the idea that women don’t major in them is false. They are just as equally capable of completing the same tasks but coworkers and bosses might think differently. The problem is more profound in the highest paying jobs women suffer the most wage gaps. The percentage comparison to both men and women is high. It’s not the industry, its society that undermines women’s abilities. Gender stereotypes are hard to give up, and at times we are all likely to engage in stereotyping each other. As a society, we need to encourage people to go beyond stereotypes and recognize the contributions regardless of the sexes.

The American Association University of Women reports that the average full time workingwoman receives just 80% the salary of a man. In 1960, women made just 60% of what men made, an upward trend that can be explained “largely by women’s progress in education and workforce participation and to men’s wages rising at a slower rate”, but a trend that is not yet equal (p. 4). Hill recognizes that the choices of men and women are not always the same, whether it be in college major, or job choice, however she concludes that women experience pay gaps in virtually all levels of education and lines of work. She suggests that continuing to increase the integration of women in predominately male dominated work will help the pay gap, however, she believes that alone won’t be enough to ensure equal pay for women.

Unlike racial inequality, females and males are able to get the same education, “in 2012, 57.2 percent of women ages sixteen and older were in the labor force. In contrast to, 38 percent of working age women were in the labor force in 1960” (Giddens et al 268). Although men and women are getting the same education, there is a big gender gap in the workplace. There is an idea that certain jobs belong to a specific gender, for example women should be secretaries and men should be managers, this is called gender typing (Giddens et al. 269). Women make an average of .79 cents to every dollar a white man makes and that price varied based on ones ethnicity and race. Women are getting paid twenty-one percent less than men for doing the same

Women have had significant changes in their lives from the past to present in terms of employment as they are more and more being moved away from the household, being able to work like regular men today. Proportion of women in the total workforce is increasing and consequently they compete successfully for higher income jobs such as chief executives. They even have been moving into jobs that in the past were only allocated to men. While these signs are encouraging, women are still paid less than men with a fewer rights and low protection in the workforce. The progression of gender equality still appears uneven, although many women have seized opportunities and are slowly evening up the workforce and deserving the equality they have struggled for ever since the beginning of the twentieth century. Women in executive positions, even in major corporations are exposed to the daily sexist and diminishing behavior from men, leaving women powerless and vulnerable in their attempts to earn their place in the future society. Even though many women in their adolescent years excel in their educational training, their achievements and general attainments are not rewarded properly as the levels of salary are not exactly the same as for men once the workforce is reached. By a sheer determination and eagerness to learn and improve, women are earning their place in the society pushing the boundaries and reinforcing their rights to be

Women have experienced a historic situation of inequality in the social as well as professional aspects. Women were normally the ones that would take care of children, do the chores in the house, and in rural areas; they would work in the field with the rest of the family. However, today’s women have become more self-sufficient and independent from the predominant male figure within every historical family. Gender inequality in the workplace is becoming less common; yet, gender is a factor that affects men and women. Especially women have been subjected to a historical discrimination that has influenced society to decide which job is more suitable for women than men. However women have confronted and tried to break down the barriers that

I examined different professional industries in The United States to get a familiar understanding of gender inequality around me. Gender inequality does not particularly favor one sex in every professional industry. Joanne Lipman’s article, "Let’s Expose the Gender Pay Gap," dealt with professional women in the work force and the gender pay gap that exists between professional men. There is also a distinct gender gap between a woman and a man asking for a raise or promotion within a company. “Female doctors and surgeons, for example, earn 71 percent of what their male colleagues make, while female financial specialists are paid just 66 percent as much as comparable men. Other researchers have calculated that women one year out of college earn 6.6 percent less than men after controlling for occupation and hours, and that female M.B.A. graduates earn on average $4,600 less than their male classmates for their first jobs.” (Lipman). There is a statistical gender pay gap in The United States that is undeniable.

Research and statistics show that women do not have the same job opportunities as men do. There is a term called the “glass ceiling” which refers to an “artificial barrier based on attitudes or bias that prevents qualified women” from advancing further into the workforce. Those positions include mid-level and senior-level management positions. Essentially the research shows that women can only advance so far then they hit an invisible barrier making them not eligible to advance any farther (Workplace Fairness). There are several stereotypes about what type of work men and women should be doing and how they should be doing it. Because of these stereotypes gaining equality in the workplace has not been an easy feat for women (Jenkins). Women earn less than men and in addition to that they are “less likely to hold senior positions.” Although there are 40 years worth of anti-discrimination laws, pregnant women and mothers returning to work still face serious discrimination (Jenkins). Research shows that women do not have the same job opportunities as men. Opportunities lack the same “dimensions of job quality” im that women’s jobs are not of the same quality as men’s jobs (Hays). All of the research shows that women just are not given the same opportunities as men are when it comes to work. The glass ceiling and predetermined stereotypes contribute to discrimination towards women in the

The generation now has made it easier to equalize men and women but there is still a substantial amount of places where gender inequality is still happening in the workplace and where females still face discrimination. Women are often discriminated in the workplace and are usually not promoted as quickly as men are and they also receive less pay. History shows that women have not always been defined as property and thought of as second class citizens. But in the 21st century many have seen a drastic change in the so called “traditional” family ways where women are suppose to stay home and take care of the household chores, food, and children and men are suppose to work to support their family and provide financial stability. Many assume that in the workplace women are more vulnerable and less competent than men because women 's instincts are to put their family before work or anything else. Whereas men are the ones who will usually stay the late hours to work. People on both sides of the political spectrum and everywhere in between seem to be fearful of what is to come and more fearful of others than they are often willing to admit.

Three forms of gender inequality are those that occur in the workplace in relation to pay, roles that are played, and in education. The textbook states that “women who work full time average only 72 percent of what men are paid” (Henslin, 2014, p. 310). While this could be related to factors such as education level or the inability of women to negotiate as well as men; outside of the actual job, those in similar positions (regardless of negotiating skills) should make a similar wage. I can understand an individual who has less education than another being paid less initially, but once they can prove they are just as effective as someone else (regardless of gender) they should make the same amount. In regard to roles, there is the perception that men should take on roles that require more physical strength or strength (as in the case of CEO who needs to be strong and lead the masses). With roles that are played, it has been typical that the woman are more fragile, nurturing, and emotional so it is not thought that they would be in positions that required someone to be strong (such as in manual labor positions or those that required making tough decisions). With education, the thought was the men would be the ones that go to college as they were considered the primary breadwinners. Women, if they did anything at all, would take clerical and supporting roles. When I was in high school I was an honor role student and not one teacher or counselor attempted to have a