Gender Information
30 years on from the Equal Pay Act and 25 years since the Sex Discrimination
Act , and despite the new Gender Equality Duty (2007), fundamental issues
remain at the heart of gender discrimination at work.
- Career development: the majority of women have a career break due to childbirth.
If they return to work after maternity leave it is often at the expense of seniority,
responsibility and financial reward. A family also raises additional problems, such
as childcare issues.
- Sexual Harassment: according to the Office of National Statistics more than 50%
of women claim to have experienced sexual harassment at one time in their careers.
- Gender discrimination in promotion, compensation and benefits.
- Stereotyping of work by gender: domination exists in certain professions by one
gender, leading to barriers for members of the minority sex.
Gender Discrimination in the Workplace
'Glass ceiling' is a term often used
to describe the barriers faced by women in career progression. All workers can see
a clear route to the top of the career ladder but as women attempt to progress they
come up against unseen barriers in the way. This culture of discrimination manifests
itself in several key ways; from women being overlooked for promotion, to being
paid less than male peers for carrying out the same work.
According to the Women and Equality Unit, 21 million women (around 45 % of the total
workforce) are currently in work. Of these, only 8 % are in management positions,
as opposed to 18 % of men. The disparity becomes even more pronounced in the top
echelons of management: 32 of the top 100 companies have no women directors at all!
Facts and Figures
Women are less likely than men to work as managers and
senior officials (10 % of all women in employment, compared with 18 % of men)
Women's hourly earnings are lower than men's (£8.75 and £11.13 respectively).
The earnings differential is narrowest for people aged 16 to 24, where women earn
97 % of the equivalent for young men. This widens to 78 % for people aged 50 to
59 and further widens to 64 % for people over the age of state retirement (Office
for National Statistics).
It has emerged that the pay gap in the city is wider than anywhere else in the country,
with men taking home about £400 more each week than their female counterparts. (The
Evening Standard 14/01/04)
In many areas women hold fewer than one in ten of the most senior positions. Women
are just 7 % of the senior judiciary, 7 % of senior police officers, 9 % of top
business leaders and 9 % of national newspaper editors (Equal Opportunities Commission).
Business Case for Diversity
Research suggesting that women bring different
skills and strengths - such as strong social and communication skills - to the work
environment, complementing those offered by men.
The business benefits of flexible employment practices have been well documented
and include reduced casual sickness absence, improved retention, improved productivity
and improved morale and commitment.
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