Men Outnumber Women in Workplace: Fair or Foul Play?

When perceptions influence thought than facts, the result is nothing but bias - Bias in the matters of capability, career advancement and recognition.

Yes, women are facing a high degree of gender bias when it comes to their career. There is a general perception that women are less capable than men in matters of business and decision making. Almost 40 analytical studies have disproved these claims and have established that women and men are at par with each other.

Is gender bias hindering a woman's career advancement?

It is often a strenuous struggle for a woman not just to prove her mettle but also to make a deserving way to the top. Career publisher Vault.com reported that at least three-quarters of women still believe that it is a thorny path for women to advance in their workplace.

Even though women perform well at managerial levels, we get to see a very meager percentage of them in top decision making levels. Many women have reported that they have faced gender discrimination at some point or the other in their career. Let's see some of the hindrances that a woman faces.

• She is taken less seriously
• She is considered unfit and is denied challenging roles
• Her leadership capabilities are undermined
• She faces gender discrimination from the time of recruitment
• Reports say that at least 30% of women are facing pay bias
• Her family responsibilities are considered as hurdles to her professional commitment
• Her career goals are considered less important compared to her male counterparts

If women in the most economically advanced countries like US are facing discrimination, then we can imagine, or rather can't imagine, what it would be in the lesser developed nations.

Why a woman is considered less capable?

The plain fact that we are still living in a patriarchal society answers it all. Gender discrimination at work is only one among those innumerable disparities that a woman comes across. So the blame is not just on the corporate world, but society at large.

‘Catalyst', a research organization in the field of empowering women, conducted a research which says that men are skeptical about women's ability in problem solving and found themselves superior in this behavior. A misconception that her judgement skills are poor also prevails.

What can corporates do?

Corporates can contribute to a woman's struggle a fair treatment. An unbiased work culture is the responsibility of every corporate which does not want to miss out on highly potential talent pool.

• Let efficiency and capability be judged on the basis of performance and not on the basis of gender
• Provide equal opportunities for men and women for growth in your organization
• Implement equal opportunity policies
• Cultivate a work culture wherein employees do not discriminate each other
• Encourage women to take up challenging responsibilities
• Avoid gender bias while recruiting
• Avoid disparities in the matters of pay
• Have laws and policies in place which punishes discrimination and sexual harassment.

Women do realize that gender equality is still the toughest battle they are fighting and things will not change overnight. A thorough change in the mindset of people is the most required solution to give equal and respectable opportunity for women. But how long will such a change take to happen?

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