It will take 202 years to close the pay gap between female and male, and 51% of women in the UK rank equal pay as the most important issue in the workplace.
Salt's Global Women in the Workplace report revealed that salary negotiations and bonus structures were found to be gender biased against women. Women ask for raises as often as men, but men are more likely to be successful.
The challenge for women in the workplace is to have the same opportunities as men. According to a McKinsey study, 1 in 5 executives is a woman, and only 1 in 25 executives is a woman of color.
Often, men are expected to develop into a character, while women are expected to have demonstrated achievement before being considered. Women's leadership skills are often undermined by gender stereotypes, and leaders need to be more mindful of this.
In the same McKinsey study, 31 percent of women said they had to provide more evidence of their ability, rising to 42 percent of black women compared with 16 percent of men. This highlights some discrimination against minorities, especially women.
Policies against women
One of the challenges women face is ineffective workplace policies ranging from maternity and paternity leave packages to the promotion process. Our global survey of women in the workplace shows that 42% of women feel that the promotion process does not provide enough support for their career development.
For example, only 29% of British women reported that they felt they could have children without affecting their careers. When women do return to work, they report missed opportunities and promotions. Parenting has also proven difficult, with some women unable to afford to return to work, or they struggle to juggle work and parenting. There are many benefits to flexible working, especially for parents, but companies are still reluctant to offer true flexible hours.
Companies need to shift their focus from sitting at a desk for hours to productivity and results. Interestingly, a study by Thrive Global shows that people in the office are only as productive as 3 hours out of an 8½ hour day, while flexible working managers and employees both report that they are more productive.
micro-attack
64% of women have experienced microaggression at work. Microaggression can be everyday sexism or racism or elusive comments that often go unreported. 40% of black women report that their professional judgment is questioned, compared to 27% of men.
Women who experienced these microaggressions were three times more likely to be thinking about leaving on a regular basis.
impostor syndrome
A common problem in today's society, both men and women, is impostor syndrome, which is an inability to accept one's achievements and a strong sense of self-doubt. A supportive environment is critical.
Women will only apply for positions if they match 100% of the job advertisement, while men will only apply if they match 60% of the time. HR managers and leaders need to be mindful of the language used in job descriptions to avoid excluding female talent from applications.
The more we learn about other people’s experiences in the workplace, the better we can work together to create a truly inclusive and supportive environment for everyone.
According to a 2016 ILO-Gallup survey, there are still many people who believe it is unacceptable for women to have paid work outside the home: 20% of men and 14% of women globally, to be exact. Many women reported that their immediate family disapproved of their decision to go out to work.
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