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Essays on gender inequality in workplace
Essays on gender inequality in workplace
Theory on women inclusion in leadership positions
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Women have been considered the weaker gender since the beginning of time. The distinctions between men and women, such as roles within the family, have prevented women from achieving societal progress as men. Gender inequality and the Glass Wall Effect are known inhibiting factors in upward mobility within the workplace. Men experience professional upward movement, both in wages and position, while women are trapped by glass ceilings and glass walls. Education and professional achievements are not deciding factors and women who assert themselves can also be seen as bossy. History tells a story of progression and a continual struggle for women to be seen and considered as equals.
INTRODUCTION
Since the beginning of recorded history women
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A contributing factor to this, according to Mary Brinton, sociology professor at Harvard University, is that women continue to balance family with the demand of work and being available all the time (Gender Inequality and Women in the Workplace, 2016). As a result, women take on a “second shift” when they get home from work and in choosing to progress professionally many are having less children or waiting longer to have children. There seems to be a correlation between gender equality at home and the workplace with lower birth …show more content…
As a matter fact, there is a strong relationship between glass ceilings and gender despite the growing presence of women and minorities in the workplace. Statistically, companies that have women in higher ranking positions tend to do better than companies that don’t. Women play an important role in today’s economy because of their spending power, therefore, their capacity to spend is dependent on their salaries (Merida L. Johns,
Women face many obstacles as they climb their career’s hierarchy and for many different reasons their wage is comparably less than that of males. After the movements toward equality in the workplace, many think that sex discrimination isn’t present anymore. However, many still believe that the glass ceiling hasn’t shattered and still possesses a barrier for many women in the labor force. The glass ceiling and the wage gap exist for various reasons but, like many other women leaders, women can break the glass and abolish the gap.
The "glass ceiling" has held women back from certain positions and opportunities in the workplace. Women are stereotyped as part-time, lower-grade workers with limited opportunities for training and advancement because of this "glass ceiling". How have women managed their careers when confronted by this glass ceiling? It has been difficult; American women have struggled for their role in society since 1848. Women’s roles have changed significantly throughout the past centuries because of their willingness and persistence. Women have contributed to the change pace of their role in the workplace by showing motivation and perseverance.
“In particular, not only are rates of IPV expected to be higher in a capitalist economy than a socialist one, but rates of IPV, are also expected to be higher during periods of economic downturn and recession than during periods of relative prosperity” (Hattery and Smith 211). Relationships that undergo financial hardships through economic slumps are likely to create problems because doubts are raised towards the ability of the man to provide for his relationship, which trigger outbursts because men see that as an attack on their manhood. But through recessions and lean employment periods, women see the importance in which there are advantages in having an additional income to supplement their living conditions. “Thus, marriage—or long-term
Gender is based on cultural beliefs that classify on what job positions should be held based on biological sex. Therefore, gender inequality affects people in the workforce because of the gender wage gap in institutions. For example, jobs are sex segregated based on gender roles and status. The gender wage gap is based on the differences of income between women and this causes for males and women to earn different wages because society classifies men to be superior to women, Even if they have the same positions, males are looked as authority. Men are favored because of the concept of being dominant. Ridgeway says “Not only the existing sex composition of the job, but also the stereotypical gendered nature of the work or the status
The glass ceiling and glass escalator are both important phenomenon that affect women in American society today. The glass ceiling affects the amount of women in leadership roles in politics. As the prestige and level of power increases, the amount of women in those positions fall. The glass escalator shows how men in women dominated fields hold an advantage over their women counterparts. Men in men dominated fields and women dominated fields receive better benefits and
Also, the majority of women have been able to secure employment from traditionally female occupations such as teaching compared to male-dominated careers like engineering. Moreover, democratic country like the United States of America has recognized gender inequality as a fundamental issue and espouse equal right between men and women in contributing to social, economic and cultural life. Despite this improvement, gender inequality persists as women are not represented and treated equally in the workplace (Michialidis, Morphitou, & Theophylatou, 2012). The increasing number of women in the workplace has not provided equal opportunity for career advancement for females due to the way women are treated in an organization and the society. Also, attaining an executive position seem impossible for women due to the glass ceiling effects which defines the invisible and artificial barrier created by attitudinal and organizational prejudices, which inhibit women from attaining top executive positions (Wirth
More and more, women are bound by the glass ceiling in the corporate world. The glass ceiling is a barrier “so subtle that it is transparent, yet so strong that it prevents women from moving up the corporate hierarchy." From their vantage point on the corporate ladder, women can see the high-level corporate positions but are kept from "reaching the top" (Ann Morrison, 1987). Ann Morrison goes ahead to say that the glass ceiling "is not simply a barrier for an individual, based on the person 's inability to handle a higher-level job. Rather, the glass ceiling applies to women as a group who are kept from advancing higher because they are women.” Even in the event that a woman does make it to the top, she is discriminated against when it comes to pay. In 2015, Canadian working women are making about $8,000 less a year than men doing an equivalent job, says a study that highlights the persistence of gender inequalities in the workplace (Mary Beach, 2015).
Gender inequality is well reflected in our society today and has been going on for years. Gender has its difference but along the way the judgment of sex, gender and gender roles has a lot to deal with the gender inequalities. These aspects make up the social problems towards discrimination.
It is important to make the distinction that the glass ceiling itself exists, as opposed to a term that simply is another way to describe inequalities. This study specifically defines the glass ceiling as “a specific type of gender or racial inequality that can be distinguished from other types of inequality” (Cotter et al. 656). The four criteria found include first, “a glass ceiling inequality represents a gender or racial difference that is not explained by other job-relevant characteristics of the employee,” second, a difference “that is greater at higher levels of an outcome than at lower levels of an outcome,” third, inequality “in the chances of advancement into higher levels, not merely the proportions of each gender or race currently at those higher levels,” and finally, inequality “that increases over the course of a career” (Cotter et al. 657-61).
Glass Ceiling (Women) Specific speech purpose: Introduction Attention getter: So who here has ever heard of the word glass ceiling? Introduce topic: Politically, glass ceiling is a term used to describe a barrier that keeps women and minorities from dominating, regardless of their qualifications. Later this term was used in 1984, by the former editor of Working Woman magazine, Gay Briant who stated that women did reach a certain potential but then were stuck and could not move further into more successful positions. Credibility statement: I experienced this concept when I tried applying for a job but only 3 males were hired.
This is when comparing employees where both genders spend the same amount of time working. Not only do women encounter unfairness in work pay, they also face a “glass ceiling” on a promotional basis. This glass ceiling is a “promotion barrier that prevents a woman’s upward ability” (2). For example, if a woman is able to enter a job traditionally for men, she will still not receive the same pay or experience the same increase in occupational ability. Gender typing plays a huge role in the workplace.
All throughout history people strove for equality; however, equality is still far from being reached. For working women, the term glass ceiling has been created to describe their fight for equality. If a person listens to people talk of high powered women they may hear that someone is "breaking the glass ceiling." Despite this, women are still finding it hard to work in, and operate, certain fields. Therefore, the problem in today's world is that there is exploitation of women from all races and objectified based on sex; as a matter of fact, women face sexual abuse in the workplace, mistreatment in regards to maternity leave, and exploitation of skills from those in positions of leadership.
Gender inequality is “the unfair treatment of an applicant or employee because of the person’s sex”. Gender inequality or gender discrimination is illegal. Gender inequality did not only start in the workplace. It began before that. In history women were always expected to be the ones at home taking care of children, while the men were the breadwinners of the family.
Gender Inequality at a Workplace Historically, males and females normally assume different kinds of jobs with varying wages in the workplace. These apparent disparities are widely recognized and experienced across the globe, and the most general justification for these differences is that they are the direct outcomes of discrimination or traditional gender beliefs—that women are the caregivers and men are the earners. However, at the turn of the new century, women have revolutionized their roles in the labor market. Specifically in industrialized societies, the social and economic position of women has shifted. Despite the improving participation of women in the labor force and their ameliorating proficiency and qualifications, the labor force is still not so favorable to women.
Gender is defined as the scopes of genetic, physical, mental and behaviour characteristics pertaining to, and differentiating between, masculinity and feminity, meanwhile inequality is defined as in a situation where there is an unfair situation or treatment in which certain people have more privileges or better opportunities or chances than other people. Thus, from the definition stated gender inequality refers to unequal or unfair management, treatment, or perceptions of persons or individuals are based on their gender. In a parallel sense, gender inequality can be said as the world in which there was discrimination against anyone based on gender. In this introductory, the general understanding of gender inequalities will be discussed further into three significant factors that influence the allocation of housework between men and women. Household chores can be classified as cleaning, cooking and paying bills. Division of housework serves as an important element in the continuation of the function of a family and it requires contribution from both spouses (Tang, 2012). However, current society’s perception on housework is based on gender, so the three major factors that influence the division of household chores within the couples are education level, economic resources, and time availability (refer to Figure1 in Appendix 1).