Gender inequality still exists and social, business and organisational stereotyping of women is stifling progress, yet the economic argument for gender equality is overwhelming.  

Some organisations have gone to great lengths to implement gender equality policies and yet inequalities persist.  This is partly due to the focus on a view of gender inequality as "overtly receiving unequal treatment solely on the basis of gender."

However, other forms of inequalities that are second generation or hidden biases and equality plaguing women.  These are powerful invisible barriers to women’s advancement that stem from cultural beliefs about gender, workplace structures, practices and patterns of interactions and advertently favour men.  Second generation or hidden biases are also the areas each individual can make a personal difference.

We cannot be oblivious to invisible barriers to women in the workplace even if we choose not to speak of it.  Pay differences might be considered the most glaring, when women doing the same job are paid less.    

Gender bias is unfair, but more importantly detrimental to overall national and corporate performance as it has been proven in numerous studies.  If we know this why is it still the case that we have not eradicated it from our workplaces?

Our biggest challenge in our places of work is our perceptions driving our attitudes and behaviours.  These are perceptions steeped in cultural and societal norms which transcend the work environment and extend into our social interactions. 

Hidden biases are so engrained that the workforce occupational developers who create structures, processes and procedures for how we work have over the years based these structures on the patterns of men. 

Some working women might consider motherhood as both a blessing and challenge as gaps between the genders widen with age.  Typically women who have children lose out on pay and career advancement.  Women are also less likely to own businesses as entrepreneurs, and are under-represented in private and public leadership and government. 

Whether we are looking at long work hours, working away from home, relocating etc. women are often accused of deserving the lower pay they get because we are less flexible and deemed to be unambitious.  Some organisations, businesses and governments are beginning to slowly address these issues.  

The AWIL/YAWIL focuses extensively on the role of Cultural Impact On Women In Leadership In The Digital Age.  Get in touch to find out more about how this can benefit your organisation.

In this age of connectivity, whether superhighway or basic internet communications, businesses have the means of enabling their female (and male) employees to work efficiently, flexibly and remotely.  Changing work structures to introduce flexible working and part-time and co-working/job-sharing are just a few of the work designs many organisations have implement to draw women into the workforce. 

We need to see better designed working practices that support women and their contribution to the workforce.  Digital technologies and workflow processes can support your organisation in redesigning how you work in the 21st Century.  See how LNC business workflow solutions and operational efficiency tools can support your workforce for better performance.