How Can Gender Discrimination Impact the Workplace?
Discrimination against workers for their gender--among other factors--is illegal. However, this does not mean that it doesn't happen in many offices. Gender discrimination is a phenomenon that companies should work to avoid, because it not only prevents employees from collaborating successfully, but it also leaves organizations exposed to potentially expensive and damaging lawsuits.
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Gender Discrimination Laws
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Women, as well as other minorities that face discrimination in the workplace, are protected from such actions by law. The first anti-discrimination law that Congress passed, in 1963, was the Equal Pay Act. This law sought to end the long-standing practice of paying women less money than their male coworkers for performing essentially the same work. It was not until the 1964 Civil Rights Act that the government also granted other minorities protections in the workplace.
Women's Employment History
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A substantial number of women worked outside the home before World War II, but it was not until this conflict that many women who were wealthy enough not to have to work entered the workforce to do their patriotic duty. When the soldiers came home, many women were loath to give up the economic freedom and personal satisfaction that came with working. Those who stayed in the workforce, however, faced considerable bias from male bosses and coworkers, and these women were often paid less and passed over for promotions. Such problems were so pervasive, that they formed the foundation for the Equal Pay Act and other subsequent legislation.
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Women's Impact on the Workplace
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Today, women are a large part of the workforce, as they make up roughly half the workers in America. This has been beneficial to businesses, as women can make a staff more diverse. Diversity often leads to new ideas and innovation because it brings fresh concepts to the table and provides new perspectives on problems that have gone unsolved in the past.
Ongoing Discrimination
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Despite laws prohibiting gender discrimination, and the benefits that women bring the workforce, gender discrimination is still a problem. According to a Harvard University study, women in the workforce today feel that discrimination is no longer as obvious as it was in the past, but still prevents them from having the same career opportunities as men. Women report that they are often excluded from social networking and have more difficulty finding mentors than men. More tellingly, men are more likely than women to dismiss the problem of gender discrimination in the workplace, making it difficult to overcome.
When gender discrimination does exist, it is harmful to an organization because it prevents talented women from moving up the corporate ladder and using their abilities to the fullest extent. A woman who feels uncomfortable at work will not share her ideas as readily, or speak up if she sees a problem.
Other Consequences
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Gender discrimination deprives a company from utilizing women's talents, but it can also lead to lawsuits that are costly both in monetary terms and in public goodwill. Highly publicized gender discrimination allegations have tarnished the reputations of companies like Morgan Stanley and Wal-Mart. The former spent $54 million in monetary damages to 300 women who claimed they were passed over for promotions and paid less than men. Wal-Mart faces the largest class-action lawsuit in history to date from 1.6 million women alleging gender discrimination.
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References
- Photo Credit gender simbol image by Nataliya Galkina from Fotolia.com
