Supporting Gender Equality in a Diverse Workplace - Research Paper Example

Supporting Gender Equality in a Diverse Workplace The world seems to be getting smaller as people from all walks of life now come together more easily to avail of opportunities that abound in the workplace. However, the blending of different personalities and perspectives is bound to create conflicts if they are not managed well from the very beginning. It takes various strategies to facilitate people from various backgrounds to work together towards the same goals. Acceptance and understanding of people and their concerns, no matter how different they are, is one of the first steps towards meeting such goals. The concept of diversity has been broadened to include all “individuals who bring unique perspectives or outlooks to the organization” (Schakelford, 2003, p.53). That means, it not only includes the traditional categories of race and gender, but also people with disabilities, various sexual orientations, and other non-traditional categories considered having “diversity of thought” or those from different disciplines, college degrees, socio-economic backgrounds, etc. It was Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. who inspired the concept of diversity when he advocated that people should be judged by their character, not by the color of their skin. This propelled lawmakers to come up with laws that provide equal opportunity to all (Mor Barak, 2000). These laws have been designed protect anyone from being discriminated against by reason of sex, marital status, ethnic or national origin, color, race, nationality, age, disability, religion, and differing terms of employment, including pay for jobs of equal value. “Equal opportunity” is a means by which a person receives equal access in society. “Equal opportunities approach” is premised on the principle that all people can avail of certain rights or privileges such as education, employment, health care or other welfare services without any discrimination or any preference whatsoever. Different organizations now apply various equal opportunity practices, which consist of a number of means used to provide fair conditions for all their members in the process of employment and work (Equal Opportunities, 2006). Due to the significance of equal opportunities to citizens the world over, laws have been passed to ensure that they are available to everyone. These laws have been designed to provide, compensation for those who consider they were discriminated against by reason of sex, marital status, ethnic or national origin, colour, race, nationality, age, disability, religion, and differing terms of employment, including pay for jobs of equal value. One major kind of discrimination in the workplace is on the basis of gender, which this paper intends to thoroughly investigate. Sexual discrimination is a biased attitude towards a person because of his/her gender, pregnancy, marital status, etc. This is considered to be direct sexual discrimination. An example is a company’s policy of not hiring married women because of possible restrictions their marriages can pose that may affect job performance. Indirect discrimination is “imposing an unjustifiable requirement or condition for employment which has a disproportionately adverse effect on one sex, marital status, ethnic or national origin, colour, race, nationality, age, sexual orientation, religion or belief, disability or other group” (Bracknell Forest Borough Council in the UK.). One example is applying an unjustifiable age or height barrier which may exclude women and some ethnic groups. Many researches have investigated the problem of equality rights and gender prejudices in the workplace. Many claim that because of the established dominance of males in the vast number of areas of public life, women are often placed in a disadvantaged position from the very beginning. There appears to be a constant conflict between mutually beneficial relationships and contemporary situations, where males dominate the social, political and professional spheres (Taylor, Kemeny, Reed, Bower & Grunewald, 2000). Many women claim that they have fewer opportunities to succeed in their work than men do and have to exert greater effort in order to be promoted in their jobs. Men are more readily employed and more supported by their employers than women (Bergman, 2003) The Career Development Group maintains that there is social disadvantage due to the fact that there exists particular social roles which influence the public lives of both genders. These roles were established in patriarchal societies and are therefore strongly influenced by social power, which usually belong to men. Being influenced by the rules of society conduct people to yield to these stereotypes (Equal Opportunities Policy and Statements). Equal Opportunities Policies (EOP) of companies and organizations usually indicate its adherence to the principles of non-discrimination and diversity. The John Bowlby Centre also known as Centre for Attachment-based Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy (CAPP) has this general statement in their EOP: “CAPP confirms its commitment to a policy of equal opportunities in CAPP’s selection and treatment of trainees, members and teaching staff, and in the provision of psychotherapy services to clients. CAPP believes that all members, trainees, employees, staff and clients have the right to expect that all individuals will be treated with dignity and respect and that an environment will be created where unfair discrimination is not tolerated. CAPP recognises that equality of opportunity is part of good practice, and is committed to the continuous development and implementation of policies that ensure equality of opportunity in the employment and advancement of therapists, trainers and other staff; the selection, teaching and assessment of trainees; and the provision of its services to the public. CAPP therefore seeks to implement and actively adhere to an equal opportunities policy in all these areas of conduct.” (CAPP Equal Opportunities Policy). CAPP claims to value difference and diversity as a strong theme in their centre throughout its development. As a provider for psychotherapy services, it maintains a strong concern about the social and political dimensions of exclusion and prejudice as well as the feminist perspectives on gender, issues in relation to race, culture, class and disability (The Bowlby Centre, 2009). Perhaps, its studies in human experiences in discrimination and exclusion helped the organization to be more considerate of the marginalized groups. Today, Psychology is one career area that welcomes both genders as practitioners. Most renowned psychologists are prominent males – Sigmund Freud, B.F.Skinner, Carl Rogers, John Bowlby, to name a few. In the past, women such as Karen Horney, whose work the CAPP was founded on, had to struggle to voice out their newly-founded theories or their critiques of well-established ones founded by well-known male psychologists. It is to these women who made their mark in the field of Psychology that gender equality is achieved in such area. The EOP of CAPP ensure that job segregation is not practiced in their organization, as it states the following: “No applicant for any position will receive less favourable treatment than any other applicant on the grounds of their gender, colour, ethnic or national origin, race, disability, age, sexuality, socio-economic background, religious beliefs, and family circumstances, or any other inappropriate distinction. “Selection procedures and criteria will ensure that individuals are selected on the basis of their relevant merits and abilities. CAPP recognises that there may be a range of candidates, each of whom would bring different and valuable qualities to a particular post. In these circumstances CAPP will ensure that selection of the successful candidate will be made on the basis of clear, consistent and justifiable criteria” CAPP Equal Opportunities Policy). Job segregation is a work practice that includes sex-role stereotypes and other cultural values including occupations sex labels, the distributions of occupations and industries, government policies and their implementation, and the actions of the sex-typical workers. Obviously, occupational sex labels influence both employers notions about appropriate workers and workers ideas about acceptable lines of work (Reskin, 1993). Even after several decades of equality legislation this job segregation is clearly apparent and deeply entrenched in the public mind. However, CAPP’s EOP stresses that candidates for employment will be selected on the basis of their merit and not their gender and abilities. Fairness for each and every individual involved with CAPP is emphasized in the EOP. All CAPP members, staff and trainees, particularly those who deal with the recruitment and support of staff or in the selection, guidance or support of students and trainees of the psychotherapy courses offered by the organisation are provided with training and guidance in the implementation of Equal Opportunities. Therefore, awareness is ensured. Sex segregation goes against the principles for which diversity management stands for. Men and women working together may yield a wealth of ideas from various perspectives. Also, the possibility of breaking into a field of work traditionally for the opposite sex is quite a challenge for an individual whose innate gifts lie in that particular line of work. It would be such a waste if one is not given the opportunity to do so simply because he or she is of the wrong gender. CAPP’s EOP likewise reflect that they value diversity, as it states: “CAPP provides an environment, and promotes a culture, in which no-one from a disadvantaged group in society will be subjected to abuse or discrimination on the grounds of their identity, including their age, class, culture, disability, race, gender or sexuality” (CAPP Equal Opportunities Policy). From this statement, it is implied that respect for each and every individual who gets involve with the organisation is provided with utmost respect regardless of their gender. Since diversity is encouraged in workplaces, the birth of the “inclusive workplace” became inevitable. Mor Barak (2000) defines it as one that: “values and uses individual and intergroup differences within its work force; cooperates with and contributes to its surrounding community; alleviates the needs of disadvantaged groups in its wider environment; and collaborates with individuals, groups, and organizations across national and cultural boundaries” (pp. 339-340). In this environment, everybody is considered worthy to contribute to the organization. Gender equality prevails. On the other hand, organizations that do not value diversity is characterized by resistance to change and refusal to come out of comfort zones to embrace newness and integrate it in the familiar may lead to discrimination as a justification of such non-acceptance. Even in today’s “politically correct” environments, prejudice and stereotypes (biased views) and discrimination (biased behaviors) either overt or covert prevent the successful implementation of inclusive policies at the workplace. Such obstacles usually suffered by women forced to stereotypical jobs, older adults, ethnic and racial minority groups, homosexuals and the disabled include lack of support in their career planning. Guidance of these nontraditional employees is necessary for job advancement and a lonely and unsupportive work environment (Morrison, 1992). To design a diversity programme in an inclusive work environment, many factors must be considered. One is the human need to belong, employees become motivated to work when they are called to be involved in some of the organizational projects. An “Employee Involvement Program” is a participative process that uses the entire capacity of employees and is designed to encourage increased commitment to the organization’s success. Examples are being part of a quality circle, and being part of an employee stock ownership plan (ESOP). Participation in the decision-making process has been linked to job satisfaction, especially if the diverse, nontraditional members are asked of their opinions. Not only does this increase their self-esteem and sense of belonging, but it can potentially affect their retention and effectiveness on the job (Mor Barak, 2000). Being acknowledged for one’s creative contributions to the company motivates an employee to think up of more. An employer may be instrumental in awaking that creative spark by advocating for dynamic ideas from the employees, who, coming from diverse backgrounds, may be the best people to rely on. In line with understanding employees’ needs and concerns, employers should be ready to invest in their professional and personal development. Full-fledged diversity management, as opposed to a mere sensitivity training class, requires a radical upending of basic assumptions, patterns, and structures. Also, regular trainings and participation in seminars or enrollment in courses shouldered by the company (whether partial or full) may be perceived as part of the job, but it should be communicated to the employees that although application of their learnings will highly profit the company, ultimately it will redound to their own benefit. This knowledge from trainings is bound to increase their market value. Being aware of diverse employees’ gripes and complaints as well as constructive suggestions may be brought up to the proper authorities and dealt with seriously. Regular evaluation of company performance should include the assessment and feedback of employees of their employers and employment. Managers should not be remiss in this duty of bridging communication or else employees may perceive management to be incompetent. “This negative perception could also lead to widespread problems satisfying other psychological contract obligations. This may be particularly troubling because it may often be the responsibility of an employees manager (acting as the organizations agent) to see that the individuals psychological contract is fulfilled.” (Lester, Clair & Kickul, 2001, n.p.) Mead (1994) summarizes some guidelines in managing diversity in the workplace and motivating these diverse workers in the performance of their tasks in the organization. First is to value the exchange of alternative points of view. This fosters thinking “out of the box” and brings fresh perspectives into the organizational thinking. Another guideline is to tolerate uncertainty in group processes. This may even strengthen the bond of the members as they strive to pursue best options together and cooperating to come up with a group decision is key. Still another one is to respect each other’s cultural values as opportunity for learning. Everyone stands to gain from learning about others. When decades ago, it was not common to see male nurses or women taxi drivers, today, they abound. Everyone, particularly women, can dream of any work they want, even if it traditionally belonged to men. This also goes for advancement in career. Managers are in a position to support workers in a diverse workplace. Such support should be available both for men as well as for the women in the organization to balance off prevailing gender inequality, if any. Unger (2002) reports identified support needs culled from her study as categorized in four areas namely: employee training, career advancement, employee benefits, and workplace culture. Employee training needs focused on an individual’s ability to learn and perform the job and encompassed activities such as skill acquisition, completing regular job duties, performing independently, and other activities. Career advancement needs addressed an individual’s ability to advance within or between jobs and included activities such as learning additional duties, pursuing opportunities for promotion, and other related needs. Employee benefit needs focused on enabling the individual to take advantage of benefits provided by the employer, such as sick leave, pay raises, or other benefits. Finally, needs in the area of Workplace Culture focused on the ability of the employee to assimilate into the culture, social structure, and routines of a specific work setting (Unger, 2002) It is more common for men to be promoted in their jobs. Supporting women workers towards management positions entails more technical support strategies. These include networking, career tracking, mentoring, succession planning and the adoption of a comprehensive approach. (Wirth, 2001). Women who show much promise in leading a company usually outshine others in terms of skills and personality. However in reality, women often have to work harder than men do to achieve the same levels of responsibility. Being part of a network of equally competent workers brings a lot of benefits. It provides invaluable information, visibility and support, especially when job vacancies spring up. Visible women who exhibit the right qualifications may be easily recommended by members of the network. Managers may also “career track” female employees of high potential towards higher positions they qualify for. They can help these women gain visibility and experience by giving them challenging and high-profile assignments that can prove their worth. These women prospects may be provided special training in addition to mentoring by high-level managers who can provide useful advise and contacts. Managers need to monitor and report these women’s progress in the organization. “Mentoring involves the pairing of younger potential managers (sometimes referred to as “high flyers” of “fast trackers”) with older, experienced and more senior managers who provide coaching, support, advise and visibility.” (Wirth, 2001, p.128) It goes without saying that mentoring relationships depend much on the individual’s sincere desire to acquire and develop new skills and gain additional competencies. Some companies devise succession strategies to prepare deserving workers of managerial positions. Should a woman be chosen to be a successor in the future, then she must be provided with opportunities to gain the experience and skills necessary to merit the eventual promotion. Adopting a comprehensive approach in improving women’s career opportunities in the workplace will be effective if strategies are fully implemented and sustained in the culture of the company. Managers need to consider and examine women’s issues and barriers that hinder them from attaining success. Managers may look into the following to guide them in choosing the right strategies to support their promising women workers: gender and family issues; reasons why women leave their jobs; flexibility in working time arrangements; attributes women may bring to management; communication styles; work relationships with peers; prevention of sexual harassment at work; including women in training programmes and establishing part-time management positions to enable women with family responsibilities to take the management route. (Wirth, 2001). It is inspiring to know that in spite of prevailing gender inequality in favor of men in employment situations, there are still women who prove to be survivors. On top of management being more supportive of women workers, women themselves should be empowered to assert themselves to attain their rightful positions as equals of men. According to those that have already climbed high on the ladder, the outlook is promising for women who are willing to work hard and break down any barriers that may exist (Higgins, 2004). References Bergman, B. (2003) The validation of the women workplace culture questionnaire: gender-related stress and health for Swedish working women. Sex Roles: A Journal of Research Bracknell Forest Council, (n.d.) Discrimination. Retrieved on August 5, 2010 from http://www.bracknell-forest.gov.uk/your-council/yc-job-vacancies/yc-equal- opportunities.htm CAPP Equal Opportunities Policy (2009) Retrieved on August 9, 2010 from http://thebowlbycentre.org.uk/equal%20OPs.pdf Equal Opportunities. (2006) Retrieved on August 7, 2010 from http:///www.wikipedia.com Equal Opportunities Policy and Statements. Retrieved on August 9, 2010 from http://www.careerdevelopmentgroup.org.uk Higgins, S. (2004),”Breaking down barriers.” Hotel & Motel Management,  August, 2004 Lester, S. Clair, E, Kickul, J. (2001) Psychological Contracts in the 21st Century: What Employees Value Most and How Well Organizations Are Responding to These Expectations. Human Resource Planning. Volume 24. Issue: 1. Mor Barak, M. E. (2000) “The Inclusive Workplace: An Ecosystems Approach to Diversity Management”, Social Work, Vol. 45, No. 4 Morrison, A. (1992). The new leaders. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. Reskin, B. (1993), ‘Sex Segregation in the Workplace’, Annual Review of Sociology. Volume: 19. Shackelford, W. G. (2003) “The Changing Definition of Workplace Diversity”, The Black Collegian, Second Semester Super Issue 2003 Taylor, S. E., Kemeny, M. E., Reed, G. M., Bower J. E., & Grunewald, T. L. (2000) Psychological resources, positive illusions, and health. American Psychologist. The Bowlby Centre (2009) Retrieved on August 9, 2010 from http://www.thebowlbycentre.org.uk/ Unger, D. (2002) “Workplace Supports: A View from Employers Who Have Hired Supported Employees” from Center for Workforce Preparation (2002) Employers’ Views of Workplace Supports: Virginia Commonwealth University Charter Business Roundtable’s National Study of Employers’ Experiences with Workers with Disabilities Wirth, L. (2001) Breaking Through the Glass Ceiling: Women in Management, Geneva: International Labour Office Read More