Accept women at workplace; It’s high time!

I’ve been working in the corporate world for about 15 years now, but have never been exposed as I’m now, to the gender bias that surrounds us. A successful woman is not looked at the same way a successful man is. She is termed “bossy” and a “control freak” if she is passionate about her work and concerned about minute details whereas a man having same work ethics and passion is not just accepted but highly respected for having an eye for detail.

Companies boast of striving to bring gender diversity at all levels in their hierarchy but the fact is that the mindsets haven’t really shifted. A male boss isn’t able to mentor a woman team member as he can, her male counterpart. Either it never occurs to him or there is fear of gossip and rumours spreading about the closeness of the two if they are seen together more often during or post work hours. Women in turn also find it difficult to reach the male bosses to receive coaching and feedback. As a result, they perpetually underestimate themselves and never question if they are rated low.

The pendulum has swayed in the direction of men so heavily for the last many centuries that for the society at large and organisations in particular to be called gender agnostic, the same pendulum needs to sway now on the other side for a long time. The reason is that companies put performance and knowledge above gender for supporting growth and promotions. However, what they don’t realise is that women get few opportunities to learn and showcase their potential. They are not empowered, they are not allowed to put in their word in matters of significance or in decision making. As a result, they continue to lag behind, lack confidence and perform low and the cycle keeps on repeating itself.

I took a wine course recently just out of sheer passion and had to be away for a day from work and home for that. When my peers received word of this, their first question was, “Who took care of your son that day?”. I have to travel a lot due to work responsibility and just last summer when I came back from one such work tour, I was again asked the same thing! Not just that, one of them had the audacity to pass a judgement that I’m ignoring my family!

Well the point to be noted here is that I’ve reached a glorious height in my career, I’m a single mother and my son is now 16 years old! If I could carry on both work and home responsibilities till date, then I don’t need people’s reminders to me on my responsibility.

It’s high time that we bring about a revolution.

Women bosses: Try to make more and more women like yourself by supporting their growth and learning. We are very few in number and we need to get at least equal if not a majority.

Men bosses: Do a self check on your behaviours and perception about women in your team and lend a helping hand, mentor them and guide them even if they can’t join those late night booze sessions along with you and the rest of the teammates.

Women colleagues: Let’s pull each other up to bring about this revolutionary change. Learn to speak for yourself. Question the status quo. Rate yourself higher than what you normally do, you’re much better than that.

I strongly recommend following Sheryl Sandberg on her views on women at work place and reading her book Lean In.

Here is a link to her TED Talks show that’s worth watching or listening to:

https://youtu.be/18uDutylDa4