Mistreatment of Women at the Workplace
Women at the workplace have made a lot of positive change, even though inequality persists. On average, women made 77 cents for every dollar a man made in 2010 (Smith 2015, p1). A gender gap persists and it needs rectification. Treatment of women at work varies with societies. In some societies, for instance in the Middle East, Africa, and South Asia, the level of mistreatment and exploitation of women at the workplace is higher than that in the United States, Canada, Australia, and other stable nations. On average, however, women are generally mistreated at work through underpayment, discrimination, and mocking based on gender and sexual harassment, among others, by their male counterparts. A study among university employees revealed that female faculty members experienced more uncivil acts than their male workmates. While there were cases of sexual harassment on both gender sides, women faced extreme exposure to this (Gary &Ruth 2014, p3). The road to elimination of discrimination of women at the workplace has been on since the mid-20th century (“Workplace Fairness”2015). It is still a long way to go, but the initial steps have been made.
There are cases where women are not respected even by junior male staff by the virtue of gender. Such male staff members see women as unequal to their male counterparts and may escalate this to harassment. A female employee elaborates how even close workmates look at female colleagues as incapable and that they only get promoted at work because the senior management favor them because they are women (Imad 2013, p1). While the mistreatment of women is not widespread and universal among all organizations, a significant number of organizations and victims exist. There is need for all organizations to put in place structures and controls to deter all forms of discrimination among employees, towards employees, and by employees at the work place. The productivity of an organization totally depends on the comfort with which employees work. Once there is a disruption of the well-being of even a single employee at the workplace, the cog that holds together the crucial functions that define organizational activity is broken (Paludi 2008, p73). This may render the organization un-productive. The management should be ready and available to arrest such eventualities.
The financial impact of mistreatment of women at the workplace is usually negative since it interferes with female employee’s attention to work and productivity. This is a detrimental impact to business and a concerned employer has to take necessary steps to curb this. The management has to formulate strict rules and regulations that determine how employees relate with each other. Efficient and secure channels have to be created to help victims of discrimination at the work place to report such cases whenever they occur. Each employee has to be accountable for his/her actions and this is to be implemented by the management. Employers also have to implement concrete remuneration and compensation structures that are based on qualifications, skills and productivity and not gender. This is to ensure that there is no discrepancy in the payment of employees of different genders.When all employees are treated equally by the organization and fellow workers, productivity is bound to improve. Higher productivity in return translates to financial rewards for the institution. Employers should therefore push the management to formulate and direct policies that monitor and maintain a fair working environment for female employees.
Works Cited
Khan, Imad. “How Women Are Mistreated at GameStop.” How Women Are Mistreated at GameStop. 7 Oct. 2013. Web. 23 Apr. 2015.
Namie, Gary, and Ruth Namie.” Bullying Is Domestic Violence At Work.” Workplace Bullying Institute RSS.Work Place Bullying Institute, 3 Jan. 2014.Web. 23 Apr. 2015.
PALUDI, MICHELE A. The Psychology of Women at Work [Three Volumes]: Challenges and Solutions for Our Female Workforce.ABC-CLIO, 2008. Print.
Smith, Kyle. “Women Still Discriminated against at Work – Taipei Times.” Women Still Discriminated against at Work – Taipei Times. 22 Aug. 2013. Web. 23 Apr. 2015.
“Workplace Fairness – Short-Changed || Discrimination.”Workplace Fairness – Short-Changed || Discrimination. 11 Feb. 2015. Web. 23 Apr. 2015.