The Playing Field Is Not Equal Between Women and Men in Business
May 19, 2008 by Bridget Wright
Filed under Leadership
This has always been a hotly debated topic for years. Many people wonder why men and women are not treated equally in business as well as being compensated just as equally. Now as for the compensation part, we all have a long ways to go to ensure that things are leveled in any work situation we may be in. But as for being treated equally, that poses its own set of questions and challenges.
Take for instance:
All things equal between a female candidate and a male candidate, there is a job for an executive sales position that requires about 80% travel. Both candidates have families and responsibilities. Who do you think will get the job?
OK, so who do you really think will get the job?
My Take:
If the female candidate gets the position, once she calls in to be off work the second time with a sick child, she will possibly get pressured to make a decision; the kids or the job. Can you guess which way she’ll sway? Which way would you sway?
The business playing field is, unfortunately, not equal in business and probably never will be. Women have always been the primary caregivers in the family. Women have always been the ones expected to adjust to any situation to make it better for the family. That’s just the way it is. More is expected of us in terms of flexibility. Now you may disagree, which is fine, but I firmly stand by what I say. My reasoning?
Women are groomed as girls to be nurturers and caregivers. They’re shown how to do something creatively and efficiently. They’re trained to “take care” of others and make themselves last.
Men are groomed to be “chargers” and “leaders” and to take the bull by the horn. They’re told to never cry or whine and to get to the top first, be competitive. That again is just the way it is. Generally speaking.
All of this transfers over to adults from being children. Once men and women are in their roles in the real world, they naturally cave into whatever grooming they had as children.
Agree? Or disagree? Why or why not?
Here are some other takes on the equality issue…
McCain’s Equal Pay Rant - One b5′ers opinion
McCain…again, with a Kristen King twist
What do YOU think?
[photo source: google images]
I’ve found there were two times when performance between women is equal (early on in their careers and later in their careers).
The performance dip does occur during the kid years. They miss more work for child care/medical issues early on. And later they end up taking more personal calls. They also don’t bring the same general focus. Yes, if you’re really looking at performance it is noticeable.
Now, during the early and later periods, women may even perform better than men. Because they aren’t distracted, they seem much more focused and driven than most men their own age. But in the later period, they often lack situational experience (management, current technology, etc.).
I know my previous comments are generalities. But it is hard for a manager to disregard when looking at candidates. My advice for women would be to be ultra aggressive during the interview process and get their husband to commit to sharing parenting responsibilities.
The more walls you put up, the less likely you are to get a position and advance quickly.
Is it wrong for the woman to be the main caregiver in the family? The one to be there (”on call”) when the children are ill? Should a woman be made to feel inadequate because she wants to be the main caregiver and thus follow her outside-the-home career as she can work it in between raising children? It’s for each family to work out, who is the main caregiver and who follows their career agressively. A single mom may have more difficulties…but doesn’t a single dad…juggling career and children? In this case, a single dad with child rearing responsibilities may feel discriminated against when it comes to business and employment. He’s passed over by the men and women without child rearing commitments.
I know of one dad whose boss was very negative because he shared childcare responsibilities with his wife and often had to go home early or be absent because it was his turn to care for the sick child.
Baldeagle, you make an excellent point about the early in their careers and later in their careers. Women have to again “adjust” to whatever situation they’re in so as to make it workable for everyone involved. To me, it is really unfair because women miss out on A LOT of experience in those critical years, all to have to make up for it later in life, after the kids have left the home. So what’s a girl to do?
Mary Emma, funny you should mention about the single dad issue thing. My husband and I often have these “what-if’s” talks. He says that if anything ever happened to me, he’d hire a nanny and not miss a day of work! Me? I’d probably take the life insurance money, pay off all of my bills and start my own business, just to stay flexible to be there for our children. See how differently men and women think?
Bridget, is it “wrong” for men and women to think differently? Our marriage of 48 years would have been very boring if Jim and I had thought completely alike. Jim is more adventuresome, more forward thinking than I am. He thinks like the engineer; I think like a writer. However, we’ve found a balance even though we still have some differences of opinon.
In your case, your husband would give a nanny a job; you’d encourage other home business moms. You each have your unique contribution in the lives of people around you…and in the world.
No, I don’t think it’s necessarily “wrong” for men and women to think differently. It’s just so very interesting to see where people’s priorities are. Now I know my husband loves our kids, but I guess I would have expected him to make the same sacrifices and have the same worries about the children as I do/would. Right now, I am the main caregiver, party-goer, sports enthusiast, nurse-maid, etc., for the children and my husband doesn’t give it a second thought unless I ASK for his help. I just sometimes think we just shouldn’t have to ask, know what I mean?
Great post and great comments! And B, thanks for linking to my McCain post.
I’ve been thinking about this a LOT lately because, at 26 and coming up on my 4th wedding anniversary, I’m thinking kids aren’t too far down the line for us. And I’m kind of freaked — not just with the whole concept of being someone’s mom, but with how it’s going to affect the career I’ve been busting my butt to build for the last 4 years. Yikes.
Do I have any answers? Nope. But I think asking the questions and sharing the uncertainties is a valuable contribution to the dialogue.
It is conditioning - but it’s JUST conditioning.
I can condition my son and daughter to be less gender-role identified.
The business world is greatly impacted by a male paradigm of work. That is true.
But, it doesn’t mean we can’t change the paradigm. Working through organizations like Momsrising.org (www.momsrising.org) we can add the feminine flare of work expectations.
If we get the family leave insurance act passed both genders can take time off to deal with birth or illness, if we get universal health insurance passed more people will be able to start small businesses or work for small businesses and we won’t be handcuffed to the male corporate paradigm for health insurance, if we pass tax incentives that push for flexible work hours women won’t have to be making such extreme either/or choices about working.
I actively work for more feminine friendly business legislation, and on the home front, I teach my daughter to be more empowered in finances and auto maintenance - here’s my Empowering Girls: So Sioux Me website plug: http://www.sosiouxme.com - and I put a play kitchen in my sons room and let him play with baby dolls and teach him to cook.
Gender is going to be less of a Thing in business because Mothers are Changing More Than Diapers - we’re changing the world - even the business world.