Roadblocks That Hamper Growth of Women Employees At Workplace

Routinely, working women are exposed to several challenges that hinder their professional careers. A toxic work culture can hamper one’s well-being and destroy self-confidence. Thus, to fathom the intensity of the issues working females face, let&;s look at them individually.

• Sexual Harassment: Cases of Sexual Harassment where women are asked for sexual favour against promotion, growth opportunities, etc., are not uncommon. The male mentality, wherein seniors think taking advantage of a female colleague is not offensive, is at fault. However, suppose the female employee refuses such sexual favors. In that case, she is harassed mentally by disregarding her work, disrespecting her in front of other colleagues,
  or mocking her on various grounds.
• Pay-Inequality: When a male employee in the same position, doing the same work with similar qualifications, earns more than his female colleague-it is called Pay Inequality. In India, especially women employees are paid much less than they deserve because of gender.No matter how often female employee proves themselves at work regarding performance, consistency, or efficiency,they are not paid equally as men.
• Lack Of Adequate Security: Poor security is another issue that is majorly faced by working women. Due to late working hours/night shifts, at times, one leaves the office late.However, due to lack of security, women are exposed to risk and often become victims of crimes. In addition, such a lack of security contributes to a high attrition rate and a hostile work environment.
• No Work-Life Balance: Generally, married women or single mothers fail to balance their professional and personal lives. They cannot distribute equal time and attention to their different priorities. With no child-care support at the office, no flexible working hours, and no WFH, it becomes difficult for women employees to keep up at work. With multiple responsibilities on their shoulder, work takes a backseat and lead to diminished productivity.
• Gender Prejudice: With preconceived notions against female professionals, they aren't chosen for leadership positions. With women being considered as the weaker gender, they are usually underestimated and looked down upon as compared to men. The most astonishing fact is that some working women hand over their earnings to their fathers or husbands. This means even after earning; they are dependent on others.
• Psychological Factors: Work pressure, unhealthy competition, toxic colleagues, etc., also
  lead to stress. You must always keep up with the expectations attached, which can result in strain. Especially in a competitive industry like recruitment, one can't leave any stone unturned, or you'll lose a client or a candidate. The feeling of insecurity eats your mental  peace, and eventually, you quit.
• Neglecting Health: Health concerns like wrong posture, backache, headaches, weight gain, hormonal changes, and computer syndrome tag along with desk jobs. Lack of physical activity generates such issues in no time. Hence, indulging in daily physical activity is necessary to keep these concerns at bay. But, unfortunately for working married women,they already have enough responsibilities; the reason they never focus on their health is often the sitting target.
• Improper Maternity Leaves: In India, you are eligible for only 180 days or 26 weeks of maternity leave now, whether you use them partially in your last trimester or post-pregnancy; that's all on you. With such short paid leaves, female employees tend to extend their leaves or quit. Moreover, as a lactating mother, one cannot think of leaving an infant at home and going to work. Thus, companies should have options like child care, WFH, flexible
  work timing, etc., to avoid losing out on a productive employee.
• No Pink Leave: Women are biologically different from men; they go through difficult days in a month during their menstrual cycle. Stomach cramps, hot flashes, bloating, and other body aches follow the menses. Yet women employees are expected to come to work on such days; on the contrary, talking about it is also considered as taboo. Whereas some countries like Japan, Indonesia, and South Korea have been considerate enough to grant pink leave for their female workforce as a rest day. It is a paid leave.
• Absence of Family Support: Some families hesitate to send their daughters and daughters-in-law to work. The absence of support from family creates stress and performance anxiety. Whereas working mothers also face a lot of backlash from their families because as per societal norms, a mother is only supposed to be a homemaker. This narrow thinking also restricts credible professionals from stepping out for work.