Gender variations across economic
Gender variations across economic opportunities are often argued over due to the gender structure of individuals and their participation in the labor market. Some scholars argue that gender differences exist in the workplace across different sectors, occupations, and industries due to the internal structure of individuals based on their genders, which give them an upper hand in handling some of the jobs as compared to others. Other scholars argue that gender structures of individuals have little to do with their abilities to handle the tasks they are assigned to in workplaces; however, factors such as education, experience, and commitment, have an impact on their job performance. It is also important to note that traditional gender roles played a significant part in determining the workplace roles that both men and women in the present-day society take. Traditionally, men were expected to undertake hard labor jobs or technical ones like engineering, while women were expected to undertake jobs that revolved around domestic care and caregiving like nursing and tutoring children. While there many factors that may have led to gender differences in the workplace, this issue still affects society and continues to be a subject of interest in modern society.. Don't use plagiarised sources.Get your custom essay just from $11/page
Historical Context
The research conducted by *** shows that the attitudes towards the role that both men and women play in society have shown changes that are remarkable over the years, especially those relating to economic development. The agricultural age particularly had a lasting impact on the roles that both men and women undertook. Women were majorly involved in minor agricultural practices like ploughing and planting using tools like hoes and digging sticks, taking of their children, and preparing food and making cloths for their families. Men, on the other hand, undertook hard agricultural practices which suggested outbursts of power like tilling the land using the plough as significant upper body strength is needed as well as control of the animals which pull the plough. This approach is less compatible with childcare, as such, women men would engage in this because their perceived natural place was in the field with hard labor. Such beliefs continued to affect the participation of women in different activities out of their homes, including in politics, entrepreneurship, and market employment.
The argument on Gender Differences in Employment and Why they Matter
The study conducted by *** shows the comparison between men and women in the workplace. The study shows that in the 21st century, women are less likely to be employed as compared to men, especially for entry-level jobs. Even though both men and women may have the same qualifications as men, statistics show that most employers are likely to pick a qualified man over a qualified woman for the same job position. The study also shows that the same issue applies to higher rank job positions in that, only 79 women can be promoted to the position of management, while 100 men can be promoted for the same job position. Gender preferences have contributed to gender gaps in the workplace, and most of these gender preferences are as a result of stereotypical gender behavior. The approach suggests that more men are likely to be hired into the workplace as compared to women across different sectors.
The gender gap in the workplace in nations like the US is also evident through the pay differences. In many organizations in the US, women are paid far less than men for the same job positions. The gender pay gap has been a subject of interest in recent decades because some of the laws that are emphasized include the fair labor standards act of 1938***. This labor at has played a major role in ensuring that women are paid a living wage; however, it has not contributed to ensuring that there is equality in terms of the payments that are given to both men and women with eh same qualifications and job descriptions. Many women living in high-cost areas struggle to make ends meet because another typical stereotype in the society is that women have less financial responsibilities as compared to men, which has been translated to less pay for women. The gender gap in the workplace is thus a critical concern in the workplace, not only in the developed nations like the US but also in counties that are developing.
Other research scholars point out that the gender gap is a matter of the choice of investments made by both men and women, rather than what the society dictates about men and women and their employment into the workforce. The research done by *** notes that most men make significant investments in their careers, which translates into better job positions and the better job pays. The study notes that the share of men and women in the workplace is equal; however, fewer women are ready to be aggressive as compared to men, to secure the job positions that they desire, and the implication is the gender gap in the workplace. The study makes references to the men and women who have masters and doctorate degrees, and the representation of men in this category is higher than that of women. From the study, the challenge of the gender gap in the workplace is a matter of priorities that women place in their careers. If women were to invest strongly in their education, skills, and experiences, they would secure equality in the jobs market.
*** also argues that the participation rate of women in the labor market has increased over the years. Even though there are still gender gaps in the workplace, there are many changes that have been made to reduce the gap between men and women in the workforce in recent decades. There have been increased programs which favor the growth of skills and education of women like women in technology and other workshops and fellowships, which empower women to be strong individuals in the workplace and also foster the inclusion of women in the workplace. The study thus notes that while the gender gap exists, society is constantly undergoing changes that will eventually contribute to gender balance in the workplace.
Recommendations
To reduce the gender gaps in the workplace, it is recommended that policies that promote gender equality in the workplace be established and reinforced. The policies should strive to ensure that employers uphold equality during the hiring process such that persons that are qualified, regardless of their gender structure, should be hired. Also, as established by the Equal Pay Act, companies should strive to ensure pay equality across all the genders, and legal actions should be taken on companies that fail to adhere to these provisions. It is also recommended that equal treatment of men and women in the workplace should be established to ensure all genders feel included in the workplace.