Challenges faced by women in the corporate world. A clarity look at how women are been discriminated in this 21 st century.
“In the future, there will be no female leaders. There will just be leaders.”?
Sheryl Sandberg, COO Facebook
Research in the past several years had shown that the increase of women in leadership is helping businesses to thrive in unprecedented ways. Besides doubling the talent pool, recruiting women into an organization may also increase the company’s financial performance. Data shows that Fortune 500 companies with the highest women representatives on boards financially outperform companies with the lowest women representatives on boards.
So why still women are a subject to many of the same old stereotypes that our mothers and grandmothers faced decades ago? In this article, we tackle a few challenges faced by women in the corporate world.
“It takes a great deal of courage to stand up to your enemies, but even more to stand up to your friends.”
J. K. Rowling
What challenges a women entrepreneur face in the corporate world?
- Gender Discrimination
Women are again and again subjected to subtle discrimination by both sexes in the workplaces. Women who are qualified may be passed over for promotions because they become pregnant, and jobs may be offered to a less eligible male applicant just because he is male.
Women also get judged by their looks and how they dress than their male counterparts. They often get discriminated against for being not pretty enough or too old.
- Lack of equal opportunities in specific industries
Women are getting less payment and offered fewer opportunities in some business sectors, and sometimes doors are closed to them entirely because of their gender, such as in heavy construction. Women get paid less than men in most places. Many businesses may steer clear of recruiting women of childbearing age simply as they don’t want to deal with issues of maternity leave and wondering if somebody will even come back to work after having a child.
- Inadequate Support System
Most of the women entrepreneurs struggle or fail in business as a result of a lack of an adequate support system for the challenges faced by women. In business, women tend to face the most significant disputes in gaining support, from lacking the appropriate connections to acquire financial or emotional support. They also need sponsors and mentors to assist them in this entirely new path. The support system is often costly, forcing women to delay starting their businesses.
- Unfavourable business environment
The less-established business networks and social and traditional constraints restrict women’s participation in business. There are a few religion hinders women from owning businesses. In some countries, women may require to have a male partner will do the deals, negotiate, and be the face of the company. Nevertheless, the business world is gradually accepting women’s abilities and contributions.
- Work-life balance
Every woman around the world is expected to play a larger part in handling a household and taking care of their family. Working in a business firm or Owning and running a business need to spend long hours, and thus, work-life balance can become a problem for women.
In the case of working mothers, taking care of their kids takes up a lot of time and energy, thereby often forcing them to give less priority to their business. On the other hand, men generally play a secondary role when it comes to household responsibilities. So, he has more time to spend on his business. However, this situation seems to be changing now as more men are stepping forward to contribute to the household responsibilities.
Today, our country owns several successful women entrepreneurs who have created successful business brands across the world. However, their journey had not been comfortable. Women entrepreneurs begin to shine in the corporate world, only when their families, investors and the society at significant make conscious attempts to bring down the gender walls. The road to success for women paved with losses, mishaps and mistakes, but it still can lead to where he wants to go as long as she doesn’t lose sight of her ultimate destination.
Don’t limit yourself. Many people limit themselves to what they think they can do. You can go as far as you mind lets you. What you believe you can achieve.
Mary Kay Ash
