Gender Equality
“Workplace equality has become a hot button topic around the globe. No longer content to be placed on the so-called “mommy track” or shunted aside as male coworkers make better wages and receive better promotions, working women are demanding equality in the workplace. Many feminists are combining their voices with those of minority leaders who continue to fight for equality among members of varying races and cultures. Strides are being made in the process, although we still have a long way to go...”
- Lisa Fritscher
Overview
“Companies with the highest percentage of female executives delivered earnings far in excess of the median for other large firms in their industries.” Harvard Business Review
What is gender? Gender is a social, not a biological concept. It is not ‘man’ and ‘woman’ but rather ‘male’ and ‘female’. This means that gender is related to the way men and women perform not only in society, at home, in politics, in different cultures and economic issues, but for this purpose, most importantly, how they are regarded in the workplace.
Corporate strategies are nowadays considered critical in the promotion of gender equality in the workplace. Promoting an equality sensitive approach in human resource management is still a major challenge for companies. As a general overview, some definitions we found relevant to this topic include:
• Gender equality – This is the concept that all human beings are free to develop their personal abilities and make choices without limitations set by strict gender roles; and that the different behaviors, aspirations and needs of women and men are considered, valued and favored equally
• Gender equity – fairness of treatment on the basis of gender, which could mean either equal treatment or treatment that is different but considered equivalent in terms of rights, benefits, obligations and opportunities....
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