Pressing Issues Women Still Face at Work

Despite the legal obligations that companies need to follow to ensure gender equality in the workplace, many organizations to this day are unaware that for many female employees the reality is different.

Women have been used to getting the short end of the stick ever since they stepped into the corporate world. Today, women are leading the fight to get their well-deserved seat at the table, and the progress they’ve made so far is nothing short of impressive.

Here are some of the pressing issues that women still face at work, in addition to some pointers on how equal-opportunity employers can help eliminate such barriers to work entry that many women still face.

Non-Inclusive Workplaces

“81% of women say that they feel some form of exclusion at work” 

In male-oriented workplaces, women often find themselves struggling to make their voices heard and they face exclusion when it comes to growth and promotion opportunities.  But this kind of exclusion comes at a great cost! When women are excluded from the workforce, companies miss out on a critical economic opportunity. Building an inclusive workplace means creating a culture that fully engages and supports all employees regardless of their gender, ethnicity and disability.

The Gender-Pay Gap

“Women on average will need to work more than 70 additional days each year just to catch up to the earnings of men”

Until this day, women still face a pay gap problem. On top of that, most women have to work longer and harder to receive promotions that provide access to higher pay.

Logically, if a woman works the same hours, has the same job duties, and has an ultimate goal equal to that of a male employee, she is entitled to equal pay. When women are paid less than men solely based on their gender, this becomes a form of discrimination and it is illegal in almost every developed country, and it is only a matter of time until all countries follow suit.

Lack of Opportunities to Advance

Males are 40% more likely than females to be promoted.

Women are often consciously blocked from opportunities to advance, regardless of their competencies, which are in many cases equal to those of men. Women often face difficulties in breaking through the “glass ceiling” society has created for them, simply because certain life milestones such as “marriage” and “motherhood” are considered hindrances. As a result, women are often left with no choice but to watch their male counterparts climb up the career ladder, while they remain stuck in the same job role.

Read the full ZenHR white paper: “Women at work“.