WOMEN AT WORKPLACE

“We are becoming the men we wanted to marry” - Gloria Steinem

Women constitute nearly half of the population of the world. They, standing shoulder to shoulder with men, have to play a significant role in the socio-economic & cultural growth of the world by contributing their might.

The history, in a way, had been resistant to accept women as equal to men, though some countries like India even during the ancient period had recognized the important place of women in the society. However, in the advent of civilization women where impact relegated to a place of less importance & subordinate to men. Things have gradually parted changing & after centuries have come to understand that women have to be lifted & put on par with men for this women empowerment, making them more & more equipped with powers, possibilities & opportunities.

There are many examples of successful women leaders leading the economic & democratic societies. Women can also be defined as follows:

W-Work

O-Organization

M-Modern

E- Equality

N- Nation

The reality today is that over half the world’s population of women is in a position with the least rights and no power. More women are subjugated by men. We live in a world that is dominated by the patriarchal values and where men are in power. We’d be ignorant if we were to say that there is sexual equality in the world.There just isn’t but this doesn’t make men wrong. This makes the system wrong and it’s time for a change. Women will thrive when there is fairness and greater balance across the board.

Feminism has been vastly misconstrued, but ultimately it is about equality for all. Feminism is the belief in the social, political and economic equality of the sexes. Women are waking up and realizing that they can change the world. We need to look at the amazing feminist role models in the world today, like, Irom Chanu Sharmila, Abanti Sankaranarayanan, Kiran Bedi, Shivani Verma, Indu Jain, Richa Kar, Kirron Kher and many others. The world needs feminine power, not masculine women trying to fit into a patriarchal world. We need to bring feminine qualities to the corporate world, the educational system, health and communities worldwide. In today’s world, a significant change is witnessed and the attitudinal shift is observed in women's and society's thoughts about women's equality and emancipation. Some of the most persistent forces working against women’s rise to the top, whether it’s the household chores that drag them out of the race for top jobs, the employer who sidelines them for taking time off, or the spiralling pensions deficit that leaves many near penniless in old age.

Women are still paid less, female bosses are still in the minority and motherhood still carries the risk of total career derailment and all this despite record numbers of women joining the workforce over the past decade. Women in the workplace might do even more than boosting the bottom line. Having more women in the workplace actually makes an organization a better place to work. It’s a disturbing prospect for many women, who require more money for healthcare and can reasonably expect to outlive men by a number of years.

The burden of housework and family care even if they work as many hours as their partner. The constant round of wiping and worrying can have a corrosive effect, leaving them too weary to take on high-profile projects or compete for the top jobs. Employers really do discriminate against women who take time out of work to look after children. Recent research has found that stay-at-home mothers are half as likely to be asked in for an interview as a woman who was employed but made redundant.

Women have become more ambitious than ever: 82% are confident they'll reach their career goals and 77% think they make a good leader. There's more it turns out that when women negotiate for pay raises and promotions, they often succeed. It is also observed that women are not leaving their companies at higher rates than men and a very few plan to leave the workforce to focus on family.

Having a higher percentage of female talent in an organization predicted:

• More job satisfaction
• More organizational dedication
• More meaningful work
• Less burnout
• Opportunities to make a difference
• Enjoyable work culture

Gender Differences Between Men & Women in the Workplace:

Men’s brains gravitate toward facts and logic. (Share ideas)	Women’s brains are geared toward intuition and emotion. (Share emotions)
Men are more direct. More aggressive, more prone to interrupt.	Women are more soften. Allow them to be interrupted more.
Men are quiet & focus. Attempt to dominate the conversation.	Women are more affirmative. Concerned with equalized input.
Men gather information.	Women maintain harmony.
Tend to relate to other men on a one-up, one-down basis. Status and dominance are important to men.	More relationship oriented & look for commonalities & ways to connect with others.
Men think the woman is agreeing with them. He is surprised when she later disagrees since she nodded her head.	At meetings, women nod their head to show they are listening.
Men can have a disagreement, move on to another subject and go get a drink together.	If women have a disagreement with each other it affects all aspects of their relationship.
Don’t see the point in sharing personal issues.	Talk to other women when they have a problem or need to make a decision.
Tell & give information rather than ask questions. Share experiences if needed.	Focus on building rapport. Sharing experiences & asking questions.
Less likely to listen.	Listen carefully /attentively.

So to make a difference, think globally and act locally! We need to do our bit to ensure that the future for girls is bright, equal, safe and rewarding.