The gender-based discrimination always cuts down the complete potential of women both for business and the economy. Although progress has been achieved, workplace bias firmly remains in place, from lower salaries of females to pregnancy discrimination to indulging in sexual harassment and the absence of female leaders. We have been brought to a point of no return, where unactiveness no longer remains possible. The existence of deep pockets of deep moral and economic reasons to achieve complete equality is not disputable, and it demands immediate action. There is no time left for ordinary change to end the problem of female inequality in the workplace. A brave initiative is what we need instead. I have seen how an individual is often denied opportunities in terms of fairness, which is influenced by unconscious biases and outdated policies. I am a working mother who has experienced this. The continuing circulation of inequity is oppressive because it stops the society/ business from reaching its full potential through such means as moving forward. Working towards gender equality among companies and the economy should be an immediate priority, as should executing all-encompassing strategies addressing prejudices, closing pay gaps, and promoting work-life balance. To whom, it will be in line with this quest for overdue reforms. Who will join this struggle for long-overdue change?
The solutions for achieving gender parity in the workplace are clear if companies and leaders commit to implementing evidence-based practices proven to be effective. Pay equity must be prioritized through consistent salary audits and fostering transparency around compensation data across roles and departments (Chamberlain). Family-friendly policies like paid parental leave for both mothers and fathers, as well as affordable childcare options, are essential for better supporting work-life integration and alleviating disproportionate burdens on working mothers. However, mandatory unconscious bias training focused on recognizing and mitigating ingrained prejudices must be an ongoing effort, not just a one-time box to check (Logan-Murray). Perhaps most importantly, intentional initiatives are needed to recruit, retain, develop, mentor, sponsor and promote more women into leadership roles across all levels and functions (Ibarra et al.).
As a working mother myself, I have experienced first-hand how workplace cultures pervaded by unconscious biases create unfair disadvantages and obstacles for even the most ambitious and talented women. Despite consistently receiving excellent performance reviews, I was persistently overlooked for promotions that went to male colleagues whose work could have been better than mine (Ely et al.). When I finally got a hard-earned managerial role after years of effort, I quickly learned that I would be paid less than my male predecessor, who had been compensated for the identical position simply because of my gender.
However, the most demoralizing and unjust experience was when I took maternity leave after having my first child. Despite my best efforts to ensure continuity through detailed handoff plans, my core job responsibilities were steadily stripped away in my absence and ultimately reassigned permanently to others without my input or awareness whatsoever (Houser and Vartanian). This insulting injustice of pushing new mothers out of their roles forced me into an untenable situation of having to essentially start from scratch in a new position upon my return – losing years of effort and career investment. Sadly, my personal story of facing blatant pregnancy discrimination and having a severe caregiving penalty imposed is an extremely common experience for far too many working mothers across industries (Heilman and Okimoto). No woman should ever have to put their hard-earned career ambitions permanently on hold or make agonizing trade-offs between work and family because of antiquated workplace policies and cultures rooted in gender biases (Williams and Calvert).
If organizations and leaders are truly committed to achieving long-overdue workplace equity for women, a piecemeal or half-hearted approach will not suffice. Employers must undertake comprehensive culture change initiatives tackling all forms of discrimination through systemic policy updates, rigorous pay equity auditing, mandatory ongoing bias training, and robust recruitment and retention programs aimed at diversifying representation across levels (Ibarra et al.). Those in leadership who only pay lip service through empty promises and virtue signalling while still perpetuating discriminatory practices must be held accountable (Chamberlain).
Investors and shareholders are increasingly recognizing the indisputable financial advantages and value creation achievable through gender diversity. They are beginning to apply leverage, pressuring the companies they fund to take definitive action (Giannetti and Wang). Policymakers and lawmakers also must step up by strengthening legal protections against harassment and discrimination while introducing legislation enabling paid family leave and universal access to affordable childcare. All of us as individuals must reinforce an authentic commitment to reform through consistent unconscious bias training to overcome our deeply ingrained prejudices (Logan-Murray).
The transformative cultural change inevitably will face staunch opposition from those currently benefiting from and insulated within existing workplace power structures, hierarchies and the status quo (Eagly and Carli). The ugly truth is that unconscious biases reinforcing discrimination are deeply ingrained in all of us from a young age, acting as powerful forces protecting the inequities of the past (Logan-Murray). However, the economic and moral costs of allowing workplace discrimination against women to persist are too high and damaging for companies and societies to ignore any longer. Multiple studies have demonstrated that depriving businesses of women’s talents squanders invaluable human potential, obstructing their ability to reach optimal performance and success (Chamberlain). A wealth of research also confirms the measurable benefits gender diversity confers – from increased profitability and higher revenues to more innovation, smarter decision-making and better organizational performance overall (Noland et al.).
The path ahead is arduous, but the moral and economic imperatives for achieving gender equality in the workplace are indisputable. Through dismantling discrimination through systemic reforms – from enforcing pay equity to providing universal childcare to increasing female leadership – we can unlock innovative potential and economic prosperity currently suppressed. Transforming entrenched cultures and mindsets will take sustained, multi-generational advocacy and vigilance. We can draw courage from the trail blazed by pioneers who rendered the once-unthinkable eventual reality. A broad coalition of companies, lawmakers, investors, and engaged citizens working in concert can make enduring change inevitable. Each of us must commit to this struggle as allies and speak up against biases, demanding accountability and channelling the same uncompromising spirit as lights like Anita Hill and the MeToo founders. With persistence and courage, an equitable meritocracy free from discrimination can be achieved within our lifetimes. Who will join this noble fight?
Chamberlain, Annette. Demystifying the Gender Pay Gap: Evidence from Glassdoor Salary Data. Glassdoor, Mar. 2016, https://www.glassdoor.com/research/studies/gender-pay-gap/.
Eagly, Alice Hendrickson, Linda Lorene Carli, and Linda Lorene Carli. Through the labyrinth: The truth about how women become leaders. Vol. 11. Boston, MA: Harvard Business School Press, 2007. https://doi.org/10.1108/gm.2009.05324aae.001
Ely, Robin J., et al. “Taking Gender Into Account: Theory and Design for Women’s Leadership Development Programs.” Academy of Management Learning & Education, vol. 10, no. 3, Sept. 2011, pp. 474–493. https://doi.org/10.5465/amle.2010.0046
Giannetti, Mariassunta and Wang, Tracy Yue, Public Attention to Gender Equality and the Demand for Female Directors (March 2020). CEPR Discussion Paper No. DP14503, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=3560311
Heilman, Madeline E., and Tyler G. Okimoto. “Motherhood: A Potential Source of Bias in Employment Decisions.” Journal of Applied Psychology, vol. 93, no. 1, 2008, pp. 189–198. https://doi.org/10.1037/0021-9010.93.1.189
Houser, Linda, and Thomas Vartanian. “Pay Matters: The Positive Economic Impacts of Paid Family Leave for Families, Businesses and the Public.” Centre for Women and Work, Jan. 2012, https://www.nationalpartnership.org/our-work/resources/economic-justice/other/pay-matters.pdf.
Ibarra, Herminia, et al. “Why Men Still Get More Promotions Than Women.” Harvard Business Review, Sept. 2010, https://hbr.org/2010/09/why-men-still-get-more-promotions-than-women.
Logan-Murray, Nic. “Book review: What works: gender equality by design by Iris Bohnet.” LSE Review of Books (2016). https://eprints.lse.ac.uk/66887/
Noland, Marcus, et al. “Is Gender Diversity Profitable? Evidence from a Global Survey.” Peterson Institute for International Economics, Feb. 2016, https://piie.com/publications/working-papers/gender-diversity-profitable-evidence-global-survey.
Williams, Joan C., Rachel M. Korn, and Sky Mihaylo. “Beyond implicit bias: Litigating race and gender employment discrimination using data from the workplace experiences survey.” Hastings LJ 72 (2020): 337. https://heinonline.org/HOL/LandingPage?handle=hein.journals/hastlj72&div=9&id=&page=