Chapter 10: Gender in the Workplace Statistics and Skewed Statistics The Value of Men and Women

Statistics Women comprise 50% of the workforce 60% of women work The average woman needs to work 91 extra days a year to equal the average man’s wage. Women earn 71 cents for every dollar a man makes Women hold fewer than 5% of senior managerial and executive positions in large companies Women hold only 10% of executive board seats nationally

Questioning the Statistics Men work more hours on average than women at the workplace. Career choices of men and women differ which adds to wage discrepancies. The top-level jobs that pay large amounts of money skew averages upward for men. Comparing median incomes for similar jobs reduces the overall wage discrepancy to almost equal pay. –For example, a male nurse with 5 years experience typically makes the same as a female nurse with the same amount of time and experience

Career Choices Guided by culture –In Japan, women are considered workers whereas men have careers –The occupations that men and women are pushed to pursue are different because of sex. Women still take on many less-paying positions such as elementary school teacher, secretary, and receptionist. Men typically still take on the heavily labor intensive jobs such as garbage man, miner, construction worker, etc.

Career Choices Guided by Family Expectations –Growing up: Social Learning and Role Development –After marriage: Role and gender expectations Guided by Biology? –Careers that Nurture –Careers that Require high Strength

Career Choices Guided by Family Expectations –Growing up: Social Learning and Role Development –After marriage: Role and gender expectations Children Egos? Guided by Biology? –Careers that Nurture –Careers that Require high Strength

Career Choice Questions Who is more likely to fight for high paying positions? –What is the level of stress involved to be in the high paying careers? –Who is more suited to handle a competitive atmosphere, men or women? –Who is more ego-tied into success?

Gender Stereotypes Portray men as strong, competent, and rational Portray women as nurturing, weak, and emotional Is there any truth to the stereotypes? –Testosterone –Estrogen Culture and Traditional Values –What type of environment were you in growing up? Many women still have the dream of being a traditional housewife and raising the children. Some think that can’t have both a career and a family Thos that think they can have both have been labeled as “superwomen”

The Job Interview Appearance Matters More for Women People still hire according to gender bias and stereotyping. –Sex and Gender may be linked to an employer’s view of the “ideal candidate”

Barriers to Career Advancement External –The Glass Ceiling –Sexual Discrimination –Sexual Harassment –Sex-role Stereotypes Internal –Socialization –Stereotyping –Household Responsibilities –Childrearing Responsibilities

Workplace is changing More diverse cultures Sex and Race segregation are realities –Women who are in professional or semi-professional careers? –Women’s work appears to be undervalued. –Women are ruled by men in the workplace which keeps them down. –Male minorities are on the “glass escalator.”

Stereotypes and Expectations Traditionally the role of “worker” = the role of breadwinner, husband, and father. –Men are stereotyped in ways that enhance their potential to lead and to be taken seriously Women entering the workforce are held to male standards, but at the same time are expected to serve their more traditional “feminine” roles. –Women spend as much time with their children as mothers did in 1965, but now they have to work in addition: Suzanne Blanch (University of Maryland). This causes: Role overload (Expectations to fulfill more than one role) Role strain (The result of perceived conflict between different roles) Role conflict (Having to choose which role to fulfill) Role spillover (Having to perform roles that compete with one another)

Role Stereotypes: Men The Tough Man –Expected to be tough, stable in control of their feelings, able to withstand pain, and be self- sufficient. The Fighting Man –Expected to dominate and take risks: These men are steamrollers The Man as Wage Earner –The paycheck becomes a measure of self-worth Put work ahead of family More likely to be depressed

Role Stereotypes: Women The woman as Child –Perceived as less capable, likely to fail, and in need of a male mentor to lean on and protect her. The Woman as Mother –When people make the assumptions that her primary role is that of a homemaker and not a worker. The woman as Sex-Object –The tendency to judge women on appearance and not performance (primarily males who do this). The Man-Like woman –She is considered too tough, unfeminine, independent, ambitious, authoritative, and agenda- driven.

Romance in the Workplace Many relationships are formed at work Many organizations try to restrict workplace romance –Why? Time Potential for sexual harassment Perceptions of others? What happens after the breakup?

Barriers at work The Glass Ceiling The Glass Walls Sexual Discrimination Sexual Harassment –Quid Pro Quo –Hostile Environment Real Perceived –Problems: How do we define Sexual Harassment, and how can we distinguish it from other behaviors?

Women and Sexual Harassment Women are much more likely to be targets –½ of all women will be victims –63% of female corporate managers claimed some sort of sexual harassment (working women study) –Minority females report even more instances of sexual harassment –Blue collar more than white collar –Younger women also have an increased chance of being sexually harassed POWER?

Women and Sexual Harassment (cont.) What IS sexual Harassment? –“not being taken seriously?” –Not being given enough information? –Being asked to do subordinate tasks such as copying or making coffee? See Examples on bottom of 278 Read Page 280 at the bottom

Organizational Culture Different types of structures create different types of cultures. Male-dominated hierarchy –Cultures are resistant to change –Even women have a hard time embracing change, even when it is optimal for them to do so. –Reinforced by the culture of society and the media The Lattice Culture –More co-mingling and less hierarchy

Organizational Culture Theory X and Y cultures Mom and Pop shops Discrimination is expressed through artifacts and other objects. –Size of office –Quality of office furniture and equipment Clothing and other artifacts –Do they increase sexual harassment or discrimination? Going to court: Tuck in your shirt!

Leadership Styles and The Workplace Autocratic Styles Laissez-Faire Democratic Styles

Gender and the Dot-Com world More equal opportunities for women for online businesses. Newer companies typically have less overall bias against women because of less socially ingrained culture