Workplace gender discrimination

Workplace gender discrimination

            Many times, employees, especially women, experience gender discrimination in their workplaces or even during the hiring process. Workplace gender discrimination is the situation where employees or job seekers receive differential treatment from employers or potential employers depending on their gender. Women or the female ae the most affected group by workplace discrimination. Workplace gender discrimination comes in many forms and starts during the hiring process. This paper gives an analysis of workplace gender discrimination, its effects and gives a solution for the issue.

Workplace gender discrimination has become a problem for most companies and governments all over the world. Even though discrimination against women at the workplace and during the hiring process is illegal in most countries, most private companies have had a problem dealing with workplace gender discrimination. The first form of gender discrimination exercised by most private companies all over the world is during the hiring process. Most private companies favour the hiring of men for certain jobs with the aim of belief of achieving consistency and quality work. Most companies shy away from hiring female workers with the belief that male workers provide more quality work than their female counterparts. Most companies also believe that male workers are more flexible and stable than female workers (“Gender and Discrimination at Work”, 2019).

It is such believes that have led to hiring discrimination according to gender. Most women have found themselves not getting a job, not because they are less qualified than their male counterparts, but simply because they are women. This issue has led to wasted human resources that have slowed down developments in most countries.

Another form of workplace gender discrimination is leadership roles. Most companies in the United States of America do not present an equal opportunity for leadership to their female and male employees. Companies always seem to favour male employees when it comes to promotions for leadership roles. The decision to favour the male employees than the female employees in the selection or the promotion process is based on the ideas to do with commitment and ability to work and deliver parenting at the same time. This is a form of gender discrimination that has prevented career advancement amongst women in America and all over the world (“Gender and Discrimination at Work”, 2019).

Most managers and directors have always promoted male workers in their organizations more easily than they do for women workers. This form of workplace gender discrimination is developed by stereotyped thinking and believe that a woman cannot deliver the best of her service at work while raising a family at the same time. Managers and directors have always questioned the commitment of women, especially women with children. Managers and directors tend to think that the process of raising a family interferes with their work and are therefore not suited for leadership roles.

Another form of workplace gender discrimination that women face is sexual harassment. Sexual harassment is a form of workplace gender discrimination that has been faced by young women all over the world. Young women in companies and government institutions have had their male colleagues subject them to intentional or unintentional sexual harassment. According to the Poll for the Young women’s Trust, around 24% of women who work have been subjected to sexual harassment at work (Siddique, 2018). This is a huge figure that accurately paints a picture of the situations women go through at the workplace. Sexual harassment has affected women at work in many ways.

Sexual harassment leads to poor performances at work from female employees. This is because the women subjected to sexual harassment at work cannot freely express themselves. According to the report, only 8% of the women subjected to sexual harassment report to the management or to the authorities (Siddique, 2018). These sexually harassed women fail to report these incidences because of the fear of confrontations. Most of these women fear that reporting these incidences might cost them their jobs. In the process, these women at work will fail to express their ideas at work which might have been productive for the business. Sexual harassment has become a problem that has prevented career advancements among women.

It is important to note that men also experience sexual harassment and other forms of workplace gender discriminations. It is, therefore, important for every employee to become aware of their rights at work. Workplace gender discrimination has adverse effects on the company and to the victims. Gender discrimination at workplace decreases the company’s productivity that results from fear, frustrations, anger and low self-esteem of the victims. Workplace gender discrimination like sexual harassment also poses health and mental risks to the victims. These issues include low self-esteem and isolations amongst the victims.

Workplace gender discrimination is illegal in most countries. Recently, China gave a directive to employees, barring them from asking the women their child baring statuses. This is a move aimed at preventing workplace gender discrimination in China (Qin, 2019). In the United States of America, there exist various laws that protect against gender discrimination. The most powerful of these laws is California’s Fair Employment and Housing Act. This act prohibits employers with more than five employees from discriminating against employees and job applicants (“Gender Discrimination in the Workplace”, 2019).