What are the main equality issues affecting men and women in the workplace?

In companies and organizations, men and women do not receive the same kind of treatment and do not have equality in work and careers. Men get better treatment than women. Paid maternity leave is not commonplace in the U.S., so the decision to take time off for childbirth and an extended maternity leave can often result in financial hardship. In addition, there's the fear that by doing so, a woman will quickly be put on the "mommy track" by her employers and supervisor.

Any unwelcome sexual advances in the workplace make women uncomfortable and impact their ability to do the job they were hired to do. Whether it's a boss or a co-worker, there are actions women can take to protect themselves legally, physically, and emotionally.

Yet there are certain generalities than can be helpful to us if we are willing to take note of them. Most of all, gender differences are a lot of fun – especially in the workplace! Here are some differences we can learn from.

Contrast 1: Thought processes

Men are more linear and factual thinkers, while women, on the other hand, tend to think more conceptually and with associations. Women’s minds are like underground subway systems – everything is connected. Men’s minds are like ships sailing along the ocean, going from point A to point B.

Contrast 2: Giving orders

Men tend to be more direct, while women give orders using softened demands and tag lines. Women are naturally disposed to maintain harmony, so they will follow up a demand with something like, “If you don’t mind.”

Contrast 3: Compartmentalizing

Men can work with people they don’t like. Women generally can’t. This is because men can compartmentalize – work is work. But women naturally make associations (see contrast #1). Joan will find it harder to work with Steve on Tuesday if she witnessed him being needlessly rude to the waiter at the restaurant on Monday night.

Contrast 4: Expressing feelings

If a man wants to express his feelings, he’ll talk to his wife or girlfriend. Women are willing to talk to more than just close friends about their feelings – coworkers, hairdressers, doctors, people on the bus, the other lady standing in line at the store, call-in radio hosts, Oprah…

Contrast 5: Handling problems

If there’s a problem, men think about it. For women, it isn’t enough to just think about the problem on their own. They need to articulate their thoughts without even necessarily wanting solutions. They want to discuss it and have someone lend an ear and their time to them. Men want solutions. They like to fix problems and not just discuss them. So when you’re talking to a man, you can expect some sort of solution, even if all you intended was simply to be heard.

Contrast 6: Goals

While men and women are both dedicated to achieving goals, they do so in their own way. Men tend to focus more on the end result. They are task-oriented. Women are more concerned with the process involved in accomplishing those goals and tend to be more people-oriented. So if you’re at a meeting where two men are involved in a heated discussion about something, remember that it doesn’t always imply a bad relationship.

Contrast 7: Feedback

Men can be more direct and blunt when giving feedback about something, whereas women tend to use more tact and sensitivity. That’s why when you ask a man for an opinion about your idea, and he says something to the effect of, “It stinks!” he wonders why you’re upset. Expect a brutally honest response. And remember that they’re responding to the idea and not the person – it’s not a personal attack

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What are the main equality issues affecting men and women in the workplace?

In companies and organizations, do men and women receive the same kind of treatment and have equality in work and careers?

I tend to think that the so called 'equality issues' are basically self imposed . This has been so for thousands of years in India . In the recent past few generations these are more apparent. Even at the "god" level we see this as being the norm in India .

Women knew the duel role they have to play in their lives . It is instinctive and natural. We see this trait in all female species in the world , birds , animals ..... and the humans . The mother`s instinct in women automatically assigns a certain priority to bring up the offspring's . This natural trait is misunderstood by the male as being a weak trait and they exploit this . It is because of this that women traditionally took active roles in the family and the society with duel responsibility . Thus men went into the outside world and women inside the home .

Now the situation is changing with modernity but women still care for the children more than the men . This imposes certain preconditions when women are employed anywhere . When there are enough jobs to go around this differences are accommodated . But when jobs are less then choosing between men and women tilts in favour of a condition less men.

Now women are equally and in many cases better than men in their work and the treatment and respect for women is increasing .

According to federal law, they are supposed to receive the same kind of treatment and have equal oppurtunity in the workplace.

Unfortunately, this is not always the case. Women still make less money overall for the same type and duration of work. Sexual Harassment continues to be an issue as well.

However, there is a legal outlet if you feel you are being discriminated against for any reason.

Hi Gabriela ! How are you doing?

Yahoo ! is a good business organisation, so I don't think that you'll be receiving any problem here related to inequality. But if you see it universally then there are many problems regarding inequality in the workplace. Like, sexual harassment is an issue with many ladies, ladies are supposed to be weaker and less intelligent than gents, jealousy of opp. sex, women are generally given better treatment than men, bosses of opposite sexes dominate their subordinates and even each other. But I feel that one should ignore all these things and if somebody tries to harass a women, then it should report to the police, nowadays, our law has become very strict regarding women abuse.

1.There is no Equality in General

2. Equality varies according to the environment of the workplace.

3. Treatment varies according to the leadership of the top executives,

4. Domination of men is prevalent in all companies and organisations.

5. In India particularly indirect eve teasing felt by women folks which goes untold and unanswered.

The main equality and inequality issues are exaggerated just to skip the other issues of work, which are nor directly related to the work . Actually every organisation wants that it's work force should concentrate on the quality work. It is out of professional jealousy or due to some human weaknesses that employees began to seek explanations for their under performance. The so called under performance may not necessarily be directly related to work, it may be due to many psychological requirement of the employee, whether boss or subordinate.

Women, sometimes, due to their social background, environment in which they grown up, individual value system etc. suffer at some fronts, but this is not due to their work efficiencies or performance or out of their gender bias.

The women workers should know that there are some limitations, which stops them claiming the credit, they deserve. The man being open to all cicumstances, tries to claim the supermacy, or actually tries to outperform the other competators by acquiring additional information and performing extra work, which is not easy for every woman worker to perform due to many factors.

Although all good workers try to perform best, but some factors differentiate between the workers on the ground other than work. It may be due to pleasant personality, soothsaying, leadership qualities, relationship with the senior officials, reporting system, exposure to higher management etc. Even in some organistions, men used to complain that the boss is giving undue credit to the woman worker only due to gender bias, or pleasant personality, or opposit sex etc.

Actually there exists no differentiation between a good worker only on the ground of gender, it is the other factors, the strengths or weaknesses of the seniors, ego problems, relations between the co-workers and relations with the seniors, requirement of the work in an organistion, strengths of the characters of the both workers and senior management. Mostly the hard and quality work "in the eyes of the management "is important, irrespective of the gender bias.

Yes in all the companies men & women treated equally because Govt pass a law which stated that both men & women should get equal wages &the same working condition

There may not be equality but there is equity. For most of the women career is secondary- nature has made them so. For a few women job is of primary concern and they do well and are also given equal opportunities.

Why claim for equality. Ask for fairness in evaluation and opportunity.

So at least in large organisations and government run organisations by and large there is equity or justice to both men and women.

Depends on the personality of the woman. Most women would take their kids over their jobs as priority. I have a special needs child, so I really have to be there, even worked from home for awhile. I've known two men who have done the same thing.

The main issue the hon-our and respect at the work place and the salary I think they do not the women are respected otherwise by majority of employees but not in the work Field and the salaries there is intention of the people to have accesses to them for undue favour in relations