What are the career issues faced by the women in India?
Women are the foundation of society. She plays a decisive role in the country's financial improvement and her commitment is not inferior to her male partner. Without the dynamic cooperation of women in various public, financial and political activities, national progress would be stagnant.
Traditionally, Indian women were self-employed, but in the 21st century, women also dropped out and worked because of education, better awareness, and the growing demand for family money. Indian women have worked outside their homes, but there are some problems and difficulties that working women face today.
Below, we’ll look at some of the women's biggest challenges in today’s workplace.
Problem with pregnancy
Many working women face a major dilemma when starting a family.
Pregnancy discrimination occurs when a woman is mistreated because of pregnancy, childbirth, or medical problems associated with pregnancy. This includes prejudice against pregnant women and behaviors, such as social isolation, stereotypes, intrusive comments, career changes, lack of development opportunities, and wage cuts.
In some other cases, the employer may not want to provide reasonable accommodation to pregnant workers.
There are laws prohibiting the illegal retirement of pregnant workers, but according to the latest Women, Business and Law 2021 report, 38 of the 190 economies actually dismiss pregnant workers. There is no law prohibiting it.
Workplace Harassment
In recent years, sexism and harassment in the workplace have become even more prominent, and women have the courage to share horrific experiences. The #MeToo movement shows how widespread sexual violence, abuse, and harassment are in and out of the workplace.
Sexual harassment is an unpleasant physical advancement or other non-verbal behavior that can create a hostile, abusive, or menacing environment from sexual comments about a person’s body, appearance, and clothing. Can take various forms.
Although there are laws rebuking such behavior, sexual harassment victims have found that reporting sexual harassment cases endangers their careers and expels them from the office.
Problematic Pay gap
Wage inequality between men and women is a much-discussed topic in today’s labor world.
Some may try to dismiss this issue as a myth, but the numbers prove that this claim is false.
According to a 2021 survey by PayScale, women earn only $0.82 for every $1 a man earns. That’s a lot more than we earned in 2020. Results from the Pew Research Center and the US Census Bureau also show the general wage gap in the United States. Meanwhile, the World Economic Forum reports that at this rate, the wage gap between men and women will not close for the next 99.5 years
Discrimination Based On Race
Unfortunately, racism in the workplace is still widespread. In fact, according to a survey by Essence, 45% of black women in the United States say that the workplace is one of the most common places to experience racism.
In fact, according to a report from McKinsey and LeanIn’s Women in the Workplace, colored women experienced the same proportion of microaggression at work as they did two years ago. The study also finds that women who experience microaggression are more likely to experience burnout with negative emotions about their careers.
With gender pay gaps in the United States, black, Hispanic, and Native American women earn less than white women and face career barriers because of racist behavior. According to an Essence survey, 44% of colored women said they faced discrimination when considering promotion or equal pay for equal work.
Breaking the glass ceilings
Career advancement is much more difficult for young female professionals who have to work harder than men and get awards and praise.
If you look at the large dogs of the most popular companies, you will notice a repeating pattern. The majority are men. For unknown reasons, in most workplaces, there is a general feeling that men are fast-moving and women are considered “incompetent” without the opportunity to prove themselves. In fact, according to McKinsey & Company, by comparison, for every 100 men promoted to leadership positions, they promoted only 85 women. This gap is even more pronounced for African-American women and Latino-Americans.
A quick look at the CEO list of Fortune’s 500 largest US companies in 2021 reveals that only 41 executives made the list. To make matters worse, we believe this number to be the highest ever. In fact, Fortune’s CEO list in 2011 included only 15 female executives, but in 2000 it dropped to two.
Beauty Expectation Gap
This phenomenon, also known as the Beauty Expectation Gap, covers the social norms imposed on women regarding grooming and appearance, as well as the financial and time constraints they pose.
In most professional settings, we expected women to adhere to certain cosmetological standards to “face the role”, such as putting on makeup, wearing well-maintained nails, and wearing high heels. It is important to note that many women use makeup and fashion as self-expression.
But when this becomes mandatory, problems arise. We expect women to have a particular look in order to be considered “sophisticated,” “professional,” and “competent” at work.
Work and Menstruation
The “overly emotional woman” metaphor is not new and is often associated with menstrual shame. They connect menstruation with emotional outbursts and mood swings.
This is a myth often used by women to uncover their reactions and emotions in certain situations.
Perhaps you are discussing an urgent issue with a colleague, or you are taking part in a heated discussion just to end the present discussion with “At that time of the month?”
Final Thoughts
The ground is much smoother than it was decades ago, but there is still a long way to go before we can say that there is true equality in the workplace (and beyond). In fact, many of these issues are so subtle that it is easy for those who believe we have achieved gender equality to dismiss them and scrutinize them.
Behaviors such as government law, corporate diversity policies, and personal behavior can make a big difference.
By raising awareness of these issues and educating others about them, we can pave the way for future generations and create a safe space where they are excellent.
Reference-https://www.theatlantic.com/sponsored/thomson-reuters-davos/the-top-five-issues-for-working-women-around-the-world/762/