The Challenges Women Still Face at Work

Last Updated on August 17, 2023

It is an undeniable characteristic of this world that we all have to work, one way or another. From manual workers, ever-expanding our infrastructure, to lawyers, defending the weak from the injustice and predation of the strong, to even astronauts, probing the limits of what’s possible; all the work we do is meaningful and serves to better our lives. Even work conditions, something outright ignored barely a century ago, are now better than ever.

The undisputable rise in quality of work environments, however, does not always match the rise in equality of said environments. In simple terms, women still have it much worse than males in most workplaces. From the issues of mobbing to the sexual harassment cases, gender wage gap, to lack of sponsorship, female employees all over the world still suffer from not being taken seriously. Explore the issues below and learn the challenges women still face in modern work environments.

Women-Oriented Mobbing Is Still Rampant in Many Workplaces

Mobbing refers to the professional bullying of an individual worker. The main difference between mobbing and regular bullying is that the latter is usually done outside of the workplace, while mobbing usually involves a direct superior of the victim. Women are very often targeted due to the prevalent patriarchal convictions that they are weaker or even out of line trying to succeed in the work field. Mobbing can negatively affect the employee’s mental state through fear, embarrassment, and humiliation. However, in most cases, mobbing is not only done by one person but also by the workplace itself, through its policies, treatment, or lack thereof.

According to civil litigators, the most typical mobbing tactics Include:

• Unjustified criticism of the employee’s work;
• Hostile gestures and looks from co-workers and supervisors;
• Isolation from the social circles of co-workers;
• Denial of access to work materials and resources;
• Placing an employee under constant surveillance;
• Harassment aimed at making the employee feel uncomfortable.

Mobbing often leads to depression, anxiety disorder, and even suicide.

The Issue of Sexual Harassment Is Still Present All Over the World

Sexual harassment can be defined as any sexually inappropriate behavior that affects the victim’s personal dignity. It ranges from verbal harassment, such as obscene comments and jokes, to physical harassment, such as groping or even rape. It has been observed that women are far more likely than men to be harassed at work. This is likely due to the continuous sexualization and objectification of women, as well as the fact that women are still seen as the weaker gender, something that is reflected in their treatment at work.

According to statistics, over 81% of women have experienced or will experience sexual harassment in their lives, with a significant part of this taking place at work.

It was also found that younger women are often more prone to harassment than older ones. This is possibly due to their relative lack of experience in the field, which makes them more vulnerable to harassers.

The Wage Gap Between Male and Female Employees Is Still a Huge Issue

A wage gap is when the average wage for males working in the same position as a female employee is higher than hers. This usually happens because of discrimination against females, such as lower pay for the same work or fewer opportunities for promotions.

In most Western countries, the wage gap is still quite high and is not expected to disappear anytime soon. In Russia, the wage gap is even higher, as women on average 24.8% less than their male counterparts (2019 data). In the USA, the wage gap is estimated to be about 20%, with women earning on average $0.82 for every $1 earned by males.

Lack of Sponsorship for Women Is Still a Plague

Sponsorship is the encouragement and support given to an individual by their superior. It is often accompanied by regular performance reviews and mentoring, as well as possible career advancement and opportunities. When it comes to women, however, sponsorship is often lacking. In fact, many women do not have sponsors at all, either because they are not mentored or because they don’t see the need.

For female employees, sponsorship by their leader can be a great way to improve their chances of getting promoted while also allowing them to get the critical feedback they need to succeed. For male employees, sponsoring women means showing that they care about diversity and inclusion in the workplace.

It’s important to note that in order for sponsorship to be effective, it must be offered freely. This means that if a promotion is not offered after a successful sponsorship, the former sponsor is considered responsible for the lack of promotion.

Conclusion

In conclusion, it is important to note that there are still many challenges women deal with in the workplace on a daily basis. However, the good news is that the number of such challenges is gradually decreasing due to increased awareness and large-scale initiatives aimed at reducing inequality between the genders.

The best thing women can do to combat gender equality is to continue sharing their stories, as well as the obstacles they face at work. This awareness will lead to change and openness, which will be reflected in the way businesses approach their work and employees. This can only lead to a better workplace environment for everyone.