For decades, men have dominated the workforce while women were expected to take care of the children, clean the house, and cook meals. Society has now evolved to include women as a necessary part of the workplace. Although major strides have been made, there is still plenty of room for improvement. Women continue to be paid less than men. For every dollar that men earn, women only make 82 cents. On top of that, women just aren’t treated with much respect compared to men. So, what can be done about this? There are ways that men can help close the wage gap and push society to see women as equals.
If you’re interested in finding out how this can be done, keep reading on!
A Brief Overview Of Women In The Workplace
Looking back to the 20th century, what little work available for women was tough, gruelling jobs in factories or domestic-related jobs in poor conditions. Eventually, they were able to shift into careers such as teaching or nursing, which align with the societal view of women as caregivers. In modern times, we see these careers as noble professions. In the past, they were considered menial jobs that must be given up once a woman becomes married.
World Wars One and Two contributed significantly to the inclusion of women in the workforce. They took up jobs to replace the men who were off at war. After World War Two, when men demanded their jobs back, women were reluctant to give them up and return to the home.
“By 1970, 50 percent of single women and 40 percent of married women were participating in the labor force.”
Janet Yellen
Women’s access to education and new technologies increased the numbers of female workers. As time went on, the idea of women in the workplace became more accepted. Since women were acquiring higher levels of education, the jobs they did had better working conditions, so the stigma around female workers ebbed away. By the 1990s, less women were pursuing the typical professions of teacher and nurse, and becoming doctors, lawyers, and other powerful positions instead.
Interested in reading about women in positions of power? Check out Sheryl Sandberg: Keeping Women In The Workforce.
Make Sure Women’s Voices Are Heard
Men tend to lead the conversation in meetings, presentations, and pitches and are taught to be aggressive while women are trained to speak only when they are spoken to. Men also constantly interrupt, frustrating women who have spoken over too many times. To make sure women’s voices are heard, men can direct the conversation over to a woman by addressing her expertise and asking a specific question to gauge her opinion on the topic. Additionally, if a female colleague is interrupted, men can declare that they would like to hear her finish her thoughts.
Reflect On The Relationship Between Men And Women
Oftentimes, women are disliked for having the qualities that are revered in men. For example, women who assert themselves by disagreeing with a certain project idea or offering their opinions and suggestions are seen as mean, bossy and aggressive. When a man does the same thing, he is confident, smart, and a strong leader.
If women are disliked for being loud and confident, then are they treated better if they are more reserved? Unfortunately, they are not. While a more reserved woman is considered to be nicer, they are seen as less competent. People may try to take advantage of her more laid-back nature.
Men should ask themselves the reason why they might dislike a certain female colleague. Is she actually a bad worker or does she just not fit the societal expectations of how a woman should behave? Men can also ask themselves how they would react if a male colleague had said the same thing. Would the male colleague be thought of as naggy? Lastly, stand up for the woman who is being bashed on by fellow male co-workers for having strong opinions.
Give Women Credit Where It’s Due
There are a lot of times where people attribute a woman’s success to her “sleeping her way to the top” even when it’s not true. This undermines the effort that women put in to earn their positions and implies that women can’t succeed using their own smarts.
When a man fails in something, he usually will chalk it up to bad luck. If a woman fails, she blames herself for lacking the right abilities. Successes are due to good luck. For men, success is attributed to their own skill sets. Generally, men are the more confident gender since they haven’t been told by society that they are inferior.
“Men will apply for jobs when they meet 60 percent of the hiring criteria, while women wait until they meet 100 percent.”
Lean In Foundation
Women do not give themselves enough credit for their accomplishments. Overall, they are underappreciated by society, which can reflect in their work and how they celebrate their wins. Men can help build women’s confidence by showing genuine admiration toward their accomplishments and not letting others take credit for her work.
Divide Up Office Housework Equally
Women are more likely to pick up the little tasks around the office that no one particularly enjoys doing, such as making the coffee, taking notes, planning events, or tidying up shared spaces. In order to counter this, men can volunteer for some of the tasks to ensure that the housework does not always fall to a woman. Strive to create a fair schedule together to determine who will take on event planning next.
Men can also reassure women that it is okay to say no to things. Consider that the woman who is always taking the notes and monitoring the time might be sick of it, and that it’s time for someone else to do it for a change. In addition, dividing up office duties evenly allows women to engage in meetings on a deeper level and gives them more opportunities to advance.
Men have a responsibility to speak out for women in the workplace. It is important that they also recognize how men as a whole have had an advantage over women for years and that they actively spread this knowledge. Only then will gender equality and inclusion be truly incorporated into the working world.
