Custom essays on Social pressure on women at work

Social norms and entrenched representations often lead to a reluctance of women to hold senior positions in the organization, there is an opinion that women can not and must not be good leaders – this presentation perpetuate existing social norms. Women are often subjected to pressure from the guidance counselors and family members who believe that they should not seek for non-traditional occupations such as management. For example girls are always warned about the difficulties of obtaining a diploma of doctor, they are usually recommended to focus on the more traditional female occupations (for example, to become a nurse).
Perhaps one of the main reasons why women do not occupy a larger percentage of management positions is the socialization of gender roles. Parents usually bring up children so that they conform to socially expected roles, since boys are treated as superior to girls because of the attitudes of society. The notion of male superiority occurs from birth and persists for life. Socialization of the child undertaken by parents, aims to ensure that the boys were aggressive, while girls are passive, as a rule, women are taught from birth to feel inferior.
According to cultural stereotypes, men are superior to women intellectually, they are more stable emotionally, results-oriented, persistent. Managers who have achieved success, are considered to have masculine traits. Stereotyped thinking not only affects the employment of women for certain positions, but also for promotion and evaluation of their performance in the firm. (Wilson 2003)
Male managers believe that they are more successful than women, because of their outstanding abilities and intellectual superiority. Male leaders evaluate their work as more difficult compared with women occupying similar positions. Occupations in which men dominate are evaluated more highly in terms of prestige for both men and women. In order for women to be able to achieve success in the role of managers, this myth should be dispelled.
Women are considered weaker and not able to compete with the men for certain positions in the company. There is a perception that women are focused on interpersonal relations, rather than on the task, the latter is peculiar to men; and also men are trained to develop the confidence and skills needed to lead. The socialization of women leads to that they believe in their inability to engage in “male” posts and have difficulties in overcoming the relevant cultural norms. Generally, women do not feel able to serve senior executives and agree with public pressure and do not try to achieve high positions.
Lower women’s chances for professional advancement and job search indicates official statistics. As shown in a survey of executives and managers of enterprises, the most appropriate for men are activities such as: work-related decisions, work with people, intellectual work, the work associated with increased physical activity. For women the most appropriate were named activities like paperwork, work that requires attention and patience; purely performing work, work that requires high skills and education. Opinions were divided only on the work requiring high education and skills. 50% of respondents believe that such work is more suitable for men and approximately 30% – women, and finally, a few less than 20% hold an egalitarian point of view – they believe that this type of activity is equally suitable for men and women. (University of Wisconsin System)
Women’s employment is an issue that requires attention. Current crisis in most cases has a negative impact on women: a significant number of women lost their main work at all, became unemployed; others are trying to adapt to new conditions in the labor market through secondary employment. In a crisis, women can not take the initiative and independence in choosing their work, as they are less socially protected in the workplace.
Women all over the world continue to be in lower positions then men in the labor rights and in the global labor market remain at a disadvantage position with men. Measures to address this imbalance must be addressed by all countries in the development of socio-economic development – this is the main conclusion of the report of the International Labour Organization.
It is interesting, that the law against gender discrimination in Sweden, Finland and Italy, is formulated in such a way that it can be equally applied to women and men, and do not focus on the fact that protection should only be provided to women, as they are more vulnerable to discrimination while hiring. (International Labor office)
In Sweden, employers are obliged to ensure that the number of men and women at the plant was approximately the same. And if, for example, it turns out that the company has more men than women, the employer must hire women. In some countries it is prohibited to ask the woman if she is pregnant, except in cases when the work can damage the health of the mother and the expected child. But at the same time women in Denmark are obliged to inform the hiring employer about the pregnancy. In France, it is prohibited in publications of advertisements of vacancies to specify the age limit for employment, and in Belgium – the sex of worker. (International Labor office)

Conclusion
Eliminating of discrimination is an essential prerequisite for people to be able to elect their professional path, develop their talents and abilities and be rewarded in accordance with their merits and achievements. Discrimination leads to inequality in the labor market and the appearance of unfair advantage. Just and fair labor relations reinforce self-esteem of an employee, morale and motivation. More productive and loyal workforce, combined with efficient resource promotes the growth of productivity and competitiveness of the enterprise. Discrimination also creates stress, lowers morale and motivation to work, affects self-esteem and reinforces even more prejudices.
We can make certain conclusions from the problems stated above:
First, the existing system of measures to ensure and protect women’s rights has been largely in line with current economic realities and the difficulty in practice is feasible, since virtually no mechanisms that enhance opportunities to attract anyone been held accountable for discriminatory actions against women. The judicial system is overloaded, the possibility of State Labour Inspection is limited space union action has been narrowed, so that all workers and, above all, women are often powerless against arbitrary employer. Obstacle to the realization of labor rights and guarantees of women is also a low level of legal culture of both employers and employees.
Second, employment discrimination leads to lower social status of women, and its consequences are already being felt. Among such effects may be called the feminization of poverty, gender segregation in occupations, strengthening of economic dependence from husband, underpayment of labor.
Third, during the years of reform there was an overall decline in employment of women in the economy. Simultaneously, occupational segregation of women in employment increased (both vertical and horizontal). Continuing low representation of women at decision-making in both the public and not in the public sectors of employment.
Fourthly, there is a close relationship between the growth of wages in the industry and the ousting of its female workforce. Over the past few years has increased the concentration of women in the lowest-paid sectors of the economy, and the gap in average wages between men and women.

Works cited:
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